wear

name

Etymology: Probably identical with British Latin Vedra, itself of Celtic origin.

1. A river in the counties of County Durham and Tyne and Wear, north east England. The cities of Durham and Sunderland are situated upon its grand banks.

   “The train then proceeded along the wagonway in the direction of the Wear.[…] The ladies remained at the house, while the men walked to the staith on the Wear, and were shown the process of unloading the wagons into the keels by means of the coal-drop.”

noun

1. Dated form of weir.

   “Cool and clear, cool and clear, / By shining shingle, and foaming wear;”

verb

Etymology: From Middle English weren, werien, from Old English werian (“to guard, keep, defend; ward off, hinder, prevent, forbid; restrain; occupy, inhabit; dam up; discharge obligations on (land)”), from Proto-West Germanic *warjan, from Proto-Germanic *warjaną (“to defend, protect, ward off”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to close, cover, protect, save, defend”). Cognate with Scots wer, weir (“to defend, protect”), Dutch weren (“to aver, ward off”), German wehren (“to fight”), Swedish värja (“to defend, ward off”), Icelandic verja (“to defend”).

1. To guard; watch; keep watch, especially from entry or invasion.
2. To defend; protect.
3. To ward off; prevent from approaching or entering; drive off; repel.

   “to wear the wolf from the sheep”

4. To conduct or guide with care or caution, as into a fold or place of safety.