use

[verb yooz or for pt for mof 9, yoost; noun yoos]

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR use 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.

Idioms

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

1175–1225; (v.) Middle English usen < Old French user < Latin ūsus, past participle of ūtī to use; (noun) Middle English < Old French < Latin ūsus act of using a thing, application, employment, equivalent to ūt-, stem of ūtī to use + -tus suffix of v. action, with tt > s

Related formsmul·ti·use, adjectivenon·use, nounnon·us·ing, adjectivere·use, verb, re·used, re·us·ing, nounun·der·use, verb (used with object), un·der·used, un·der·us·ing, noun

Can be confuseduse usage utilize (see usage note at usage) (see synonym study at the current entry)

Synonyms for use

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR use ON THESAURUS.COM

1. Use, utilize mean to make something serve one's purpose. Use is the general word: to use a telephone; to use a saw and other tools; to use one's eyes; to use eggs in cooking. (What is used often has depreciated or been diminished, sometimes completely consumed: a used automobile; All the butter has been used. ) As applied to persons, use implies some selfish or sinister purpose: to use another to advance oneself. Utilize implies practical or profitable use: to utilize the means at hand, a modern system of lighting. 3. exhaust, waste. 7. familiarize, inure. 12. employment, utilization, application, exercise. 13. handling.

Usage note

See usage.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for use

handling, help, service, practice, value, need, benefit, adoption, treatment, usage, operation, purpose, handle, control, adopt, run, work, wield, utilize, accept

Examples from the Web for use

Contemporary Examples of use

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
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
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
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
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

Historical Examples of use

What is the use of a beautiful face, if one must be shut up in her own apartment for ever?
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
We'll use a part of them ourselves, and what we can't use I will give away.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
Mrs. Davis saw that there was no use in pursuing the subject, and it dropped.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
However, he was regularly engaged, and it was of no use for me to say anything against him.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
What was the use of all that noise and crowding and piggish hurry?
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson

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

Word Origin and History for use

mid-13c., from Old French user "use, employ, practice," from Vulgar Latin *usare "use," frequentative form of past participle stem of Latin uti "to use," in Old Latin oeti "use, employ, exercise, perform," of unknown origin. Related: Used; using. Replaced Old English brucan (see brook (v.)).

early 13c., from Old French us, from Latin usus "use, custom, skill, habit," from past participle stem of uti (see use (v.)).

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.