Tire (?), n.
A tier, row, or rank. See Tier.
[Obs.]
In posture to displode their second tire
Of thunder.
Milton.
© Webster 1913.
Tire, n. [Aphetic form of attire; OE. tir, a tir. See Attire.]
1.
Attire; apparel.
[Archaic] "Having rich
tire about you."
Shak.
2.
A covering for the head; a headdress.
On her head she wore a tire of gold.
Spenser.
3.
A child's apron, covering the breast and having no sleeves; a pinafore; a tier.
4.
Furniture; apparatus; equipment.
[Obs.] "The
tire of war."
Philips.
5. [Probably the same word, and so called as being an attire or covering for the wheel.]
A hoop or band, as of metal, on the circumference of the wheel of a vehicle, to impart strength and receive the wear.
⇒ The iron tire of a wagon wheel or cart wheel binds the fellies together. The tire of a locomotive or railroad-car wheel is a heavy hoop of iron or steel shrunk tightly upon an iron central part. The wheel of a bicycle has a tire of India rubber.
© Webster 1913.
Tire, v. t.
To adorn; to attire; to dress.
[Obs.]
[Jezebel] painted her face, and tired her head.
2 Kings ix. 30.
© Webster 1913.
Tire, v. i. [F. tirer to draw or pull; of Teutonic origin, and akin to E. tear to rend. See Tirade.]
1.
To seize, pull, and tear prey, as a hawk does.
[Obs.]
Even as an empty eagle, sharp by fast,
Tires with her beak on feathers, flesh, and bone.
Shak.
Ye dregs of baseness, vultures among men,
That tire upon the hearts of generous spirits.
B. Jonson.
2.
To seize, rend, or tear something as prey; to be fixed upon, or engaged with, anything.
[Obs.]
Thus made she her remove,
And left wrath tiring on her son.
Chapman.
Upon that were my thoughts tiring.
Shak.
© Webster 1913.
Tire, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Tired (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Tiring.] [OE. teorien to become weary, to fail, AS. teorian to be tired, be weary, to tire, exhaust; perhaps akin to E. tear to rend, the intermediate sense being, perhaps, to wear out; or cf. E. tarry.]
To become weary; to be fatigued; to have the strength fail; to have the patience exhausted; as, a feeble person soon tires.
© Webster 1913.
Tire, v. t.
To exhaust the strength of, as by toil or labor; to exhaust the patience of; to wear out (one's interest, attention, or the like); to weary; to fatigue; to jade.
Shak.
Tired with toil, all hopes of safety past.
Dryden.
To tire out, to weary or fatigue to exhaustion; to harass.
Syn. -- To jade; weary; exhaust; harass. See Jade.
© Webster 1913.