use
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.
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.
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.
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 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
1confusables note For use
Other words for use
Other words from use
- mul·ti·use, adjective
- non·use, noun
- non·us·ing, adjective
- re·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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for use
to put into service or action; employ for a given purpose: to use a spoon to stir with
to make a practice or habit of employing; exercise: he uses his brain
to behave towards: to use a friend well
to behave towards in a particular way for one's own ends: he uses people
to consume, expend, or exhaust: the engine uses very little oil
mainly US and Canadian to partake of (alcoholic drink, drugs, etc) or smoke (tobacco, marijuana, etc)
the act of using or the state of being used: the carpet wore out through constant use
the ability, right, or permission to use
the occasion to use; need: I have no use for this paper
an instance or manner of using
usefulness; advantage: it is of no use to complain
custom; practice; habit: long 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 mentioned: Compare 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)
Origin of use
1Collins 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
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.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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