tires

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of tire.

   Worn tires lose traction in heavy rain and lengthen braking distance.

   The crew swapped both rear tires during the final pit stop.

   Note

   The spelling itself carries a regional signal: tires is the US and Canadian form of the word also spelled tyres, for the rubber coverings on wheels and, in US usage, the metal rims of locomotive wheels. The same plural serves rarer nouns too, such as children's pinafores, headdresses, and an obsolete word for attire. Only context separates it from the verb meaning "wearies", which is spelled exactly the same.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present indicative of tire.

   He tires of the same routine after only a few weeks.

   A demanding schedule tires the whole team by midseason.

   Note

   One form serves two constructions. Without an object, it describes the subject wearing out, and followed by of it shifts toward boredom or impatience: she tires of small talk. With an object, the subject is the cause: the climb tires him. Two obsolete verbs once shared this spelling. One meant to dress or adorn, matching the old "attire" noun. The other described a hawk seizing and tearing its prey.

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