used

[ yoozd or for 4, yoost ]

/ yuzd or for 4, yust /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR used ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

previously used or owned; secondhand: a used car.

showing wear or being worn out: a thrift shop that accepts used clothing.

employed for a purpose; utilized: a frequently used dictionary.

Nearby words

use one's head, use tax, use up, use-by date, usecc, used, used to, useful, useless, usenet, user

Idioms

used to, accustomed or habituated to: I'm not used to cold weather. They weren't used to getting up so early.

Origin of used

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at use, -ed²

Related forms

half-used, adjectivewell-used, adjective

Definition for used (2 of 2)

use

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

/ verb yuz or for pt for mof 9, yust; noun yus /

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.

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

SYNONYMS FOR use

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.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR use ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

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

Can be confused

use usage utilize (see usage note at usage) (see synonym study at the current entry)

Usage note

See usage.

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

Examples from the Web for used

That strategy has been used in some cases to help determine GMO policy.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
They just reflect the range of breeds that were used to create the Heck cattle in the first instance.
‘Nazi Cows’ Tried to Kill British Farmer|Tom Sykes|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It upsets me because I used to really, and still do sometimes, love the articles Salon writes.
Patton Oswalt on Fighting Conservatives With Satire|William O’Connor|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It used to carry livestock but sailed its final voyage with a hold full of Syrian men, women, and children.
Ghost Ships of the Mediterranean|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST

He used to drive her to school once he came home from the Marines.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It was laid out here to be used for the new surplice for His Eminence.
Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays|Various
Great care is used in cleaning substances to be plated, all dirt and grease being carefully removed.
Things a Boy Should Know About Electricity|Thomas M. (Thomas Matthew) St. John
This excellent cake requires no shortening, as cream is used.
Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled during Her Visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans"|Edith M. Thomas
If necessary, the whip may be used, by gentle touches upon the left shoulder.
The Lady and Her Horse|T. A. Jenkins
There used to be many strawberries growing there, and I think we can find some to-day.
Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bell's|Laura Lee Hope

British Dictionary definitions for used (1 of 2)

used

/ (juːzd) /

adjective

bought or sold second-handused cars

British Dictionary definitions for used (2 of 2)

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

Idioms and Phrases with used (1 of 2)

used

In addition to the idiom beginning with used

used to

also see:

it takes getting used to

Also see underuse.

Idioms and Phrases with used (2 of 2)

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.