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the act of wearing by friction, or by rubbing substances together; abrasion. Effected by attrition of the inward stomach. Arbuthnot.

Anything to prevent the effects of friction, esp. a compound lubricant for machinery, etc., often consisting of plumbago, with some greasy material; antifriction grease.

Repentant from fear of punishment; having attrition of grief for sin; -- opposed to contrite.

Matter pulverized by attrition.

The act of grinding or ribbing to powder; attrition; friction; rubbing. [Obs.] The breaking of their parts into less parts by contrition. Sir I. Newton.

The erosion of the bed of a stream by running water, principally by attrition of the detritus carried along by the stream, but also by the solvent action of the water.

A mass of substances worn off from solid bodies by attrition, and reduced to small portions; as, diluvial detritus.

The act of rubbing the surface of one body against that of another; attrition; in hygiene, the act of rubbing the body with the hand, with flannel, or with a brush etc., to excite the skin to healthy action.

friction; to hurt or break the skin of by rubbing; to chafe; to injure the surface of by attrition; as, a saddle galls the back of a horse; to gall a mast or a cable. I am loth to gall a new-healed wound. Shak.

A harsh sound caused by attrition.

The fine, hard parts of wheat, rounded by the attrition of the millstones, -- used in cookery.

To impair, waste, or diminish, by continual attrition, scraping, percussion, on the like; to consume gradually; to cause to lower or disappear; to spend. That wicked wight his days doth wear. Spenser. The waters wear the stones. Job xiv. 19.

on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose of sharpening; to sharpen by attrition; as, to whet a knife. The mower whets his scythe. Milton. Here roams the wolf, the eagle whets his beak. Byron.