tir

‖n. [ F., from tirailler to skirmish, wrest, from tirer to draw. ] (Mil.) Formerly, a member of an independent body of marksmen in the French army. They were used sometimes in front of the army to annoy the enemy, sometimes in the rear to check his pursuit. The term is now applied to all troops acting as skirmishers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A tier, row, or rank. See Tier. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

In posture to displode their second tire
Of thunder. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To adorn; to attire; to dress. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Jezebel ] painted her face, and tired her head. 2 Kings ix. 30. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Aphetic form of attire; OE. tir, a tir. See Attire. ] 1. Attire; apparel. [ Archaic ] “Having rich tire about you.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A covering for the head; a headdress. [ 1913 Webster ]

On her head she wore a tire of gold. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A child's apron, covering the breast and having no sleeves; a pinafore; a tier. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Furniture; apparatus; equipment. [ Obs. ] “The tire of war.” Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. [ Probably the same word, and so called as being an attire or covering for the wheel. ] A ring, hoop or band, as of rubber or metal, on the circumference of the wheel of a vehicle, to impart strength and receive the wear. In Britain, spelled tyre. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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 or road vehicle (automobile, motorcyle, truck) has a tire of rubber, which is typically hollow inside and inflated with air to lessen the shocks from bumps on uneven roads. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Even as an empty eagle, sharp by fast,
Tires with her beak on feathers, flesh, and bone. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye dregs of baseness, vultures among men,
That tire upon the hearts of generous spirits. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To seize, rend, or tear something as prey; to be fixed upon, or engaged with, anything. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thus made she her remove,
And left wrath tiring on her son. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

Upon that were my thoughts tiring. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tired with toil, all hopes of safety past. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

To tire out, to weary or fatigue to exhaustion; to harass. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To jade; weary; exhaust; harass. See Jade. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Weary; fatigued; exhausted. [ 1913 Webster ]