[yoot-l-ahyz] 
| to put to use; turn to profitable account: to utilize a stream to power a mill. |
| u·til·ize (yōōt'l-īz') tr.v. u·til·ized, u·til·iz·ing, u·til·iz·es To put to use, especially to find a profitable or practical use for. See Synonyms at use. [French utiliser, from Italian utilizzare, from utile, useful, from Latin ūtilis, from ūtī, to use.] u'til·iz'a·ble adj., u'til·i·za'tion (-ĭ-zā'shən) n., u'til·iz'er n. Usage Note: A number of critics have remarked that utilize is an unnecessary substitute for use. It is true that many occurrences of utilize could be replaced by use with no loss to anything but pretentiousness, for example, in sentences such as They utilized questionable methods in their analysis or We hope that many commuters will continue to utilize mass transit after the bridge has reopened. But utilize can mean "to find a profitable or practical use for." Thus the sentence The teachers were unable to use the new computers might mean only that the teachers were unable to operate the computers, whereas The teachers were unable to utilize the new computers suggests that the teachers could not find ways to employ the computers in instruction. |
"Utilize is fast antiquating improve, in the sense of 'turn to account.' " [Fitzedward Hall, "Modern English," 1873]
lˌaɪz
