use

[ verb yooz or, for past tense form of 9, yoost; noun yoos ]

/ verb yuz or, for past tense form of 9, yust; noun yus /

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See synonyms for: use / used / uses / using on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), used, us·ing.

to employ for some purpose; put into service; make use of: to use a knife.

to avail oneself of; apply to one's own purposes: to use the facilities.

to expend or consume in use: We have used the money provided.

to treat or behave toward: He did not use his employees with much consideration.

to take unfair advantage of; exploit: to use people to gain one's own ends.

to drink, smoke, or ingest habitually: to use drugs.

to habituate or accustom.

Archaic. to practice habitually or customarily; make a practice of.

verb (used without object), used, us·ing.

to be accustomed or customarily found (used with an infinitive expressed or understood, and, except in archaic use, now only in the past): He used to go every day.

Archaic. to resort, stay, or dwell customarily.

noun

the act of employing, using, or putting into service: the use of tools.

the state of being employed or used.

an instance or way of employing or using something: proper use of the tool; the painter's use of color.

a way of being employed or used; a purpose for which something is used: He was of temporary use. The instrument has different uses.

the power, right, or privilege of employing or using something: to lose the use of the right eye; to be denied the use of a library card.

service or advantage in or for being employed or used; utility or usefulness: of no practical use.

help; profit; resulting good: What's the use of pursuing the matter?

occasion or need, as for something to be employed or used: Would you have any use for another calendar?

continued, habitual, or customary employment or practice; custom: to follow the prevailing use of such occasions.

Law.

the enjoyment of property, as by the employment, occupation, or exercise of it.
the benefit or profit of lands and tenements in the possession of another who simply holds them for the beneficiary.
the equitable ownership of land to which the legal title is in another's name.

Liturgy. the distinctive form of ritual or of any liturgical observance used in a particular church, diocese, community, etc.

usual or customary experience.

Verb Phrases

use up,

to consume entirely.
to exhaust of vigor or usefulness; finish: By the end of the war he felt used up and sick of life.

OTHER WORDS FOR use

3 exhaust, waste.

7 familiarize, inure.

12 employment, utilization, application, exercise.

13 handling.

See synonyms for use on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about use

have no use for,

to have no occasion or need for: She appears to have no use for the city.
to refuse to tolerate; discount: He had no use for his brother.
to have a distaste for; dislike: He has no use for dictators.

make use of, to use for one's own purposes; employ: Charitable organizations will make use of your old furniture and clothing.

of no use, of no advantage or help: It's of no use to look for that missing earring. It's no use asking her to go. Also no use.

put to use, to apply; employ to advantage: What a shame that no one has put that old deserted mansion to use!

Origin of use

First recorded in 1175–1225; (verb) Middle English usen, from Old French user, from Latin ūsus, past participle of ūtī “to use”; (noun) Middle English, from Old French, from Latin ūsus “act of using a thing, application, employment,” equivalent to ūt-, stem of ūtī “to use” + -tus suffix of verbal action, with tt becoming s

words often confused with use

See usage.

OTHER WORDS FROM use

mul·ti·use, adjectivenon·use, nounnon·us·ing, adjectivere·use, verb, re·used, re·us·ing, noun

un·der·use, verb (used with object), un·der·used, un·der·us·ing, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH use

1. use , utilize (see synonym study at the current entry)2. use , usage (see usage note at the current entry)

Words nearby use

USCRC, U.S.C. Supp., US Customary System, USDA, USDAW, use, use-by date, USECC, used, used to, useful

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

WHEN TO USE

What is another way to say use?

To use something is to employ it for some purpose or to put it into service. How is use different from utilize? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

How to use use in a sentence

As Ensminger puts it, one of Hallmark’s best attributes is its range, and the company has put that versatility to good use in the face of an overwhelming crisis.
How Hallmark is handling pandemic Valentine’s Day|Luke Winkie|February 12, 2021|Vox
In Virginia, Hanley said a new law banning cellphone use while driving should increase highway safety.
Traffic counts fell during the coronavirus pandemic, but road fatalities still increased|Luz Lazo|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
The platforms, which are outdoors, have undergone decades of use and weather-related deterioration.
Two Blue Line Metro stations to close through late May for platform work|Justin George|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
So far, the EEOC hasn’t even issued clear guidelines concerning hiring algorithms that are already in use.
Auditors are testing hiring algorithms for bias, but there’s no easy fix|Amy Nordrum|February 11, 2021|MIT Technology Review

The first was the use of financial incentives — although they were so tiny, less than a dollar, that you have to wonder how powerful they’d be.
Can I Ask You a Ridiculously Personal Question? (Ep. 451)|Stephen J. Dubner|February 11, 2021|Freakonomics
There is no such thing as speech so hateful or offensive it somehow “justifies” or “legitimizes” the use of violence.
Trolls and Martyrdom: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie|Arthur Chu|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In Israel, however, a new law took effect January 1st that banned the use of underweight models.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The use of slurs from both characters makes it clear just how “new” the idea of an openly gay son is even in this time.
‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist|Judnick Mayard|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In the meantime, Epstein has tried to use his charitable projects to float him back to the top.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking|M.L. Nestel|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And in order for them to realize their vision, they are willing to use any means.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive|Ayaan Hirsi Ali|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If you use it wisely, it may be Ulysses' hauberk; if you reject it, the shirt of Nessus were a cooler winding-sheet!
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The sailors sometimes use it to fry their meat, for want of butter, and find it agreeable enough.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)|Daniel Defoe
Not much use as the high crests hid the intervening hinterland from view, even from the crow's nests.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
For this use of the voice in the special service of will-power, or propelling force, it is necessary first to test its freedom.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
Their method of curing the leaves was to air-dry them and then packing them until wanted for use.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.

British Dictionary definitions for use

use

verb (juːz) (tr)

to put into service or action; employ for a given purposeto use a spoon to stir with

to make a practice or habit of employing; exercisehe uses his brain

to behave towardsto use a friend well

to behave towards in a particular way for one's own endshe uses people

to consume, expend, or exhaustthe engine uses very little oil

mainly US and Canadian to partake of (alcoholic drink, drugs, etc) or smoke (tobacco, marijuana, etc)

noun (juːs)

the act of using or the state of being usedthe carpet wore out through constant use

the ability, right, or permission to use

the occasion to use; needI have no use for this paper

an instance or manner of using

usefulness; advantageit is of no use to complain

custom; practice; habitlong use has inured him to it

the purpose for which something is used; end

Christianity a distinctive form of liturgical or ritual observance, esp one that is traditional in a Church or group of Churches

the enjoyment of property, land, etc, by occupation or by deriving revenue or other benefit from it

law the beneficial enjoyment of property the legal title to which is held by another person as trustee

law an archaic word for trust (def. 7)

philosophy logic linguistics the occurrence of an expression in such a context that it performs its own linguistic function rather than being itself referred to. In " Fido " refers to Fido, the name Fido is 'used' only on the second occurrence, first being mentionedCompare mention (def. 7) See also material mode

have no use for

to have no need of
to have a contemptuous dislike for

make use of

to employ; use
to exploit (a person)

Word Origin for use

C13: from Old French user to use, from Latin ūsus having used, from ūtī to use

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with use

use

In addition to the idioms beginning with use

used to
use one's head
use up

also see:

have no use for
make use of
no use
put to good use

Also see underused.