Definition of Use

1. Noun. The act of using. "Skilled in the utilization of computers"


2. Verb. Put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose. "They use the animals"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer"

3. Noun. What something is used for. "Ballet is beautiful but what use is it?"
Exact synonyms: Function, Purpose, Role
Generic synonyms: Usefulness, Utility
Specialized synonyms: Raison D'etre
Attributes: Functional, Nonfunctional
Derivative terms: Function

4. Verb. Take or consume (regularly or habitually). "She uses drugs rarely"
Exact synonyms: Habituate
Generic synonyms: Consume, Have, Ingest, Take, Take In
Specialized synonyms: Drink, Tope, Board
Derivative terms: Habit, Habit, User

5. Noun. A particular service. "Patrons have their uses"
Generic synonyms: Usefulness, Utility

6. Verb. Use up, consume fully. "They use the money "; "The legislature expended its time on school questions"
Exact synonyms: Expend
Specialized synonyms: Abuse, Misuse, Pervert, Abuse, Spare, Occupy, Take, Use Up, Blow, Squander, Waste
Entails: Consume, Deplete, Eat, Eat Up, Exhaust, Run Through, Use Up, Wipe Out
Derivative terms: Expenditure
Also: Use Up

7. Noun. (economics) the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs or in manufacturing. "The consumption of energy has increased steadily"
Exact synonyms: Consumption, Economic Consumption, Usance, Use Of Goods And Services
Category relationships: Economic Science, Economics, Political Economy
Specialized synonyms: Conspicuous Consumption
Generic synonyms: Demand

8. Verb. Seek or achieve an end by using to one's advantage. "They use him to write the letter"; "The president's wife used her good connections"
Generic synonyms: Exploit, Work
Specialized synonyms: Take Advantage, Trespass
Derivative terms: User, Using

9. Noun. (psychology) an automatic pattern of behavior in reaction to a specific situation; may be inherited or acquired through frequent repetition. "Long use had hardened him to it"
Exact synonyms: Habit
Generic synonyms: Custom, Usage, Usance
Specialized synonyms: Ritual, Second Nature, Cleanliness
Category relationships: Psychological Science, Psychology
Derivative terms: Habitual, Habituate

10. Verb. Avail oneself to. "Practice non-violent resistance"
Exact synonyms: Apply, Practice
Related verbs: Apply, Employ, Utilise, Utilize
Specialized synonyms: Follow
Derivative terms: Applicable, Application, Practice, Practice, Usance

11. Noun. Exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage. "His manipulation of his friends was scandalous"
Exact synonyms: Manipulation
Generic synonyms: Influence
Specialized synonyms: Mind Game
Derivative terms: Manipulate, Manipulate

12. Verb. Habitually do something (use only in the past tense). "They used to vacation in the Bahamas"
Generic synonyms: Act, Move
Derivative terms: Usage

13. Noun. (law) the exercise of the legal right to enjoy the benefits of owning property. "We were given the use of his boat"
Exact synonyms: Enjoyment
Generic synonyms: Legal Right
Specialized synonyms: Fair Use, Fruition
Category relationships: Jurisprudence, Law
Derivative terms: Enjoy

Definition of Use

1. n. The act of employing anything, or of applying it to one's service; the state of being so employed or applied; application; employment; conversion to some purpose; as, the use of a pen in writing; his machines are in general use.

2. v. t. To make use of; to convert to one's service; to avail one's self of; to employ; to put a purpose; as, to use a plow; to use a chair; to use time; to use flour for food; to use water for irrigation.

3. v. i. To be wont or accustomed; to be in the habit or practice; as, he used to ride daily; -- now disused in the present tense, perhaps because of the similarity in sound, between "use to," and "used to."

4. n. The act of employing anything, or of applying it to one's service; the state of being so employed or applied; application; employment; conversion to some purpose; as, the use of a pen in writing; his machines are in general use.

5. v. t. To make use of; to convert to one's service; to avail one's self of; to employ; to put a purpose; as, to use a plow; to use a chair; to use time; to use flour for food; to use water for irrigation.

6. v. i. To be wont or accustomed; to be in the habit or practice; as, he used to ride daily; -- now disused in the present tense, perhaps because of the similarity in sound, between "use to," and "used to."

Definition of Use

1. Noun. The act of using. ¹

2. Noun. (context: uncountable followed by "of") Usefulness, benefit. ¹

3. Noun. A function; a purpose for which something may be employed. ¹

4. Noun. (defn) ¹

5. Verb. (archaic) To accustom; to habituate. ¹

6. Verb. (transitive) To employ; to apply; to utilize. ¹

7. Verb. (transitive often with “up”) To exhaust the supply of; to consume by employing ¹

8. Verb. (transitive) To exploit. ¹

9. Verb. (intransitive now rare literary) To habitually do; to be wont to do. ¹

10. Verb. (intransitive past tense with infinitive) To habitually do. See used to. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Use

1. to put into service [v USED, USING, USES]

Medical Definition of Use

1. 1. The act of employing anything, or of applying it to one's service; the state of being so employed or applied; application; employment; conversion to some purpose; as, the use of a pen in writing; his machines are in general use. "Books can never teach the use of books." (Bacon) "This Davy serves you for good uses." (Shak) "When he framed All things to man's delightful use." (Milton) 2. Occasion or need to employ; necessity; as, to have no further use for a book. 3. Yielding of service; advantage derived; capability of being used; usefulness; utility. "God made two great lights, great for their use To man." (Milton) "'T is use alone that sanctifies expense." (Pope) 4. Continued or repeated practice; customary employment; usage; custom; manner; habit. "Let later age that noble use envy." (Spenser) "How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world!" (Shak) 5. Common occurrence; ordinary experience. "O Caesar! these things are beyond all use." (Shak) 6. The special form of ritual adopted for use in any diocese; as, the Sarum, or Canterbury, use; the Hereford use; the York use; the Roman use; etc. "From henceforth all the whole realm shall have but one use." (Pref. To Book of Common Prayer) 7. The premium paid for the possession and employment of borrowed money; interest; usury. "Thou art more obliged to pay duty and tribute, use and principal, to him." (Jer. Taylor) 8. [In this sense probably a corruption of OF. Oes, fr. L. Opus need, business, employment, work. Cf. Operate. The benefit or profit of lands and tenements. Use imports a trust and confidence reposed in a man for the holding of lands. He to whose use or benefit the trust is intended shall enjoy the profits. An estate is granted and limited to A for the use of B. 9. A stab of iron welded to the side of a forging, as a shaft, near the end, and afterward drawn down, by hammering, so as to lengthen the forging. Contingent, or Springing, use, the stat. 27 Henry VIII, cap. 10, which transfers uses into possession, or which unites the use and possession. To make use of, To put to use, to employ; to derive service from; to use. Origin: OE. Us use, usage, L. Usus, from uti, p. P. Usus, to use. See Use. 1. To make use of; to convert to one's service; to avail one's self of; to employ; to put a purpose; as, to use a plow; to use a chair; to use time; to use flour for food; to use water for irrigation. "Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs." (Shak) "Some other means I have which may be used." (Milton) 2. To behave toward; to act with regard to; to treat; as, to use a beast cruelly. "I will use him well." "How wouldst thou use me now?" (Milton) "Cato has used me ill." (Addison) 3. To practice customarily; to make a practice of; as, to use diligence in business. "Use hospitality one to another." (1 Pet. Iv. 9) 4. To accustom; to habituate; to render familiar by practice; to inure; employed chiefly in the passive participle; as, men used to cold and hunger; soldiers used to hardships and danger. "I am so used in the fire to blow." (Chaucer) "Thou with thy compeers, Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels." (Milton) To use one's self, to behave. "Pray, forgive me, if I have used myself unmannerly." . To use up. To consume or exhaust by using; to leave nothing of; as, to use up the supplies. To exhaust; to tire out; to leave no capacity of force or use in; to overthrow; as, he was used up by fatigue. Synonym: Employ. Use, Employ. We use a thing, or make use of it, when we derive from it some enjoyment or service. We employ it when we turn that service into a particular channel. We use words to express our general meaning; we employ certain technical terms in reference to a given subject. To make use of, implies passivity in the thing; as, to make use of a pen; and hence there is often a material difference between the two words when applied to persons. To speak of "making use of another" generally implies a degrading idea, as if we had used him as a tool; while employ has no such sense. A confidential friend is employed to negotiate; an inferior agent is made use of on an intrigue. "I would, my son, that thou wouldst use the power Which thy discretion gives thee, to control And manage all." (Cowper) "To study nature will thy time employ: Knowledge and innocence are perfect joy." (Dryden) Origin: OE. Usen, F. User to use, use up, wear out, LL. Usare to use, from L. Uti, p. P. Usus, to use, OL. Oeti, oesus; of uncertain origin. Cf. Utility. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Use

usablenesses
usably
usage
usage share
usager
usagers
usages
usagist
usagists
usance
usances
usant
usaunce
usaunces
usbeks
use (current term)
use-by date
use-case
use-cases
use-mention distinction
use-mention distinctions
use case
use cases
use immunity
use of goods and services
use one's head
use one's loaf
use one's noggin
use tax
use up

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