dress vs wear

dress

verb
  • To put clothes (or, formerly, armour) on (oneself or someone, a doll, a mannequin, etc.); to clothe. 

  • To ornament (a ship) by hoisting the national colours at the peak and mastheads, and setting the jack forward; when "dressed full", the signal flags and pennants are added. 

  • To prepare (food) for cooking or eating, especially by seasoning it; specifically, to add a dressing or sauce (to food, especially a salad). 

  • To attire oneself for a particular (especially formal) occasion, or in a fashionable manner. 

  • To prepare (a set) by installing the props, scenery, etc. 

  • To attire (oneself or someone) for a particular (especially formal) occasion, or in a fashionable manner. 

  • To prepare, treat, or curry (animal hide or leather). 

  • To prepare the surface of (a material, usually lumber or stone). 

  • Of a sportsperson: to put on the uniform and have the equipment needed to play a sport. 

  • To prepare (an artificial fly) to be attached to a fish hook. 

  • Of a thing: to attain a certain condition after undergoing some process or treatment to fit or prepare it for use. 

  • To arrange a display of goods in, or to decorate (a shop or shop window). 

  • To arrange or style (someone's hair). 

  • To cultivate or tend to (a garden, land, plants, etc.); especially, to add fertilizer or manure to (soil); to fertilize, to manure. 

  • To fit or prepare (something) for use; to render (something) suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready. 

  • To remove chaff or impurities from (flour, grain, etc.) by bolting or sifting, winnowing, and other methods. 

  • To cut up (an animal or its flesh) for food; specifically (hunting), to remove the internal organs (of a game animal) shortly after it has been killed so that the carcass cools more quickly; to field dress. 

  • To design, make, or prepare costumes (for a play or other performance); also, to present (a production) in a particular costume style. 

  • To apply a dressing to or otherwise treat (a wound); (obsolete) to give (a wounded person) medical aid. 

  • To arrange (soldiers or troops) into proper formation; especially, to adjust (soldiers or troops) into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other; to align. 

  • To put on clothes. 

  • To allow one's penis to fall to one side or the other within one's trousers. 

  • To design, make, provide, or select clothes (for someone). 

  • Of soldiers or troops: to arrange into proper formation; especially, to form into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other. 

  • To adorn or ornament (something). 

  • Of an animal carcass: to have a certain quantity or weight after removal of the internal organs and skin; also, to have a certain appearance after being cut up and prepared for cooking. 

noun
  • The external appearance of something, especially if intended to give a positive impression; garb, guise. 

  • Apparel or clothing, especially when appropriate for a particular occasion, profession, etc. 

  • The external covering of an animal (for example, the feathers of a bird) or an object. 

  • An item of clothing (usually worn by a woman or young girl) which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirt below the waist. 

  • The appearance of an object after it has undergone some process or treatment to fit or prepare it for use; finish. 

wear

verb
  • To carry or have equipped on or about one's body, as an item of clothing, equipment, decoration, etc. 

  • To eat away at, erode, diminish, or consume gradually; to cause a gradual deterioration in; to produce (some change) through attrition, exposure, or constant use. 

  • (in the phrase "wearing on (someone)") To cause annoyance, irritation, fatigue, or weariness near the point of an exhaustion of patience. 

  • To pass slowly, gradually or tediously. 

  • To have or carry on one's person habitually, consistently; or, to maintain in a particular fashion or manner. 

  • To ward off; prevent from approaching or entering; drive off; repel. 

  • To bring (a sailing vessel) onto the other tack by bringing the wind around the stern (as opposed to tacking when the wind is brought around the bow); to come round on another tack by turning away from the wind. Also written "ware". Past: weared, or wore/worn. 

  • To defend; protect. 

  • To bear or display in one's aspect or appearance. 

  • To overcome one's reluctance and endure a (previously specified) situation. 

  • To undergo gradual deterioration; become impaired; be reduced or consumed gradually due to any continued process, activity, or use. 

  • To exhaust, fatigue, expend, or weary. 

  • To last or remain durable under hard use or over time; to retain usefulness, value, or desirable qualities under any continued strain or long period of time; sometimes said of a person, regarding the quality of being easy or difficult to tolerate. 

  • To guard; watch; keep watch, especially from entry or invasion. 

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

noun
  • damage to the appearance and/or strength of an item caused by use over time 

  • (in combination) clothing 

  • fashion 

How often have the words dress and wear occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )