wearing away
- noun
- /ˈwɛrɪŋ əˈweɪ/
- Specialized
:
erosión
- The constant wind and rain are gradually causing the cliffs to wearing away over time.
Examples
-
It is like wearing away with water drops, wearing away with faith; I find that quite interesting. I wish I could remember what it does.
Fiction book (1994) -
For me, and I suspect for Joe, depression is something that wears away at you pretty much every minute of every day, all day, non-stop.
Blog text (6) -
It is like wearing away with water drops, wearing away with faith; I find that quite interesting. I wish I could remember what it does.
Fiction book (1994) -
Equipped with leases insisting on usually ten to twenty money miles, almost any one step further completes the actual agreed amount of money in the online contract, or extended warranties primarily protecting few changing times, you are by hand accessible when it comes to higher than average expenses to receive unnecessary gas mileage and then wearing away.
Blog text (15) -
The old wooden deck is showing signs of wearing away due to years of exposure to the elements.
-
The wearing away of the statue's details highlights the impact of pollution in the area.
Synonyms
34
3.7
The gradual wearing away of land, rock, and other materials by forces such as water or wind
7
4.9
Slow wearing away of something by natural forces or repeated harm
4
6.1
The gradual wearing away of a surface by rubbing or scraping
4
5.1
A slow wearing away of rock by water, wind, or ice
1
7.4
Slow wearing away of a surface by rubbing or natural forces
1
6.3
A gradual wearing away of metal or other materials by chemical action
Slow loss of material as water or wind rubs it
A slow wearing away of a surface when something rubs it
How Eroded
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun meaning 'the process of gradually eroding or grinding down' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'wearing' (progressive material loss by friction) with 'away' (being removed or fading out). The compositional pattern 'wear ... away' meaning gradual removal is common in English and cross-linguistically intuitive, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents is likely to understand this MWE.
Etymology
Wearing away comes from the simple image of wearing, as when clothes are rubbed thin, and away, meaning to move off. Imagine a rock or a step that water or many shoes rub again and again until it slowly becomes thinner or smaller, and you can see why wearing away means 'the slow loss or gradual wearing down' of a surface or even of patience.