Tire | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Tire, n.

noun

n. [See TIER.] 1. A row or rank; — the same as TIER.

In posture to displode their second tire Of thunder. Milton.

Sense 2. Hence, train. [Obs.] “The last of this ungodly tire.” Spencer.

Sense 3. A head-dress; — the same as TIARA.

On her head she wore a tire of gold. Spencer.

Sense 4. Attire; apparel. “Having much rich tire about you.” Shak.

Sense 5. A child’s apron, covering the breast and having no sleeves; a tier. See TIER.

Sense 6. Furniture; apparatus. [Obs.] “The tire of war.” Phillips.

Sense 7. A band or hoop of iron, used to bind the fellies of wheels, to secure them from wearing and breaking; as, cart-tire; wagon-tire.

Sense 8. (Locomotive Engines.) A heavy hoop or band of iron or steel, on the circumference of the driving-wheels, to impart strength and prevent wear.

Tire, v. t.

verbtransitive

To adorn; to attire; to dress. [Obs.] She [Jezebel] painted her face, and tired her head. 2 Kings ix. 30.

Tire, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. TIRED; p. pr. & vb. n. TIRING.] [A-S. terian, tirian, to vex, irritate, D. tergen, to vex, A-S. teorian, áteorian, geteorian, to weary, from teran, to tear; Fr. tirer, to draw, Pr., Sp., & Pg. tirar, It. tirare, from Goth. tairan, A-S. teran, Eng. tear.] To exhaust the strength of, by toil or labor; to weary; to fatigue. “Tired with toil, all hopes of safety past.” Dryden.

To tire out, to weary or fatigue to excess; to harass.

Synonyms—To jade; weary; fatigue; exhaust; harass. See JADE.

Tire, v. i.

verbintransitive

To become weary; to be fatigued; to have the strength fail; to have the patience exhausted; as, a feeble body soon tires with hard labor.

Tire, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. [Fr. tirer, to draw or pull.] 1. To seize, pull, and tear prey, as a bird does. ☞ A term in falconry. The hawk was said to tire on her prey, when it was thrown to her, and she began to pull at it, and tear it. It was applied also to other birds of prey. Nares. Even as an empty eagle, sharp by fast, Tires, with her beak, on feather, flesh, and bone. Shak. Ye dregs of baseness, vultures among men, That tire upon the hearts of generous spirits. B. Jonson. 2. Hence, to seize eagerly; to be closely engaged in or with any thing. [Rare.] Thus made she her remove, And left wrath tiring on her son for his enforced love. Chapman. Upon that were my thoughts tiring when we encountered. Shak.