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Use Very Common

Use has 16 different meanings across 2 categories:

Noun · Verb

Definitions
Noun
1

the act of using

"he warned against the use of narcotic drugs"

"skilled in the utilization of computers"

2

what something is used for

"the function of an auger is to bore holes"

"ballet is beautiful but what use is it?"

3

a particular service

"he put his knowledge to good use"

"patrons have their uses"

use
4

(economics) the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs or in manufacturing

"the consumption of energy has increased steadily"

5

(psychology) an automatic pattern of behavior in reaction to a specific situation; may be inherited or acquired through frequent repetition

"owls have nocturnal habits"

"she had a habit twirling the ends of her hair"

"long use had hardened him to it"

6

exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage

"his manipulation of his friends was scandalous"

7

(law) the exercise of the legal right to enjoy the benefits of owning property

"we were given the use of his boat"

8

The act of using.

"He used his last dollar on a coffee before heading to work."

In plain English: Use is the thing you get from doing something, like the money you earn from working or the points you gain from playing a game.

"Everyone has a different idea of what is useful in their daily lives."

Verb
1

put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose

"use your head!"

"we only use Spanish at home"

"I can't use this tool"

"Apply a magnetic field here"

"This thinking was applied to many projects"

"How do you utilize this tool?"

"I apply this rule to get good results"

"use the plastic bags to store the food"

"He doesn't know how to use a computer"

2

take or consume (regularly or habitually)

"She uses drugs rarely"

3

use up, consume fully

"The legislature expended its time on school questions"

4

seek or achieve an end by using to one's advantage

"She uses her influential friends to get jobs"

"The president's wife used her good connections"

use
5

avail oneself to

"apply a principle"

"practice a religion"

"use care when going down the stairs"

"use your common sense"

"practice non-violent resistance"

6

habitually do something or be in a certan state or place (use only in the past tense)

"She used to call her mother every week but now she calls only occasionally"

"I used to get sick when I ate in that dining hall"

"They used to vacation in the Bahamas"

"she used to be his best friend and now they are enemies"

use
7

To utilize or employ.

"She decided to use her extra vacation days to take a short trip before the busy season begins."

8

To employ; to apply; to utilize.

"The engineer decided to use a new algorithm to optimize the system's performance."

In plain English: To use something means to put it to work for a specific purpose.

"You should use your phone to take pictures of the scenery."

Example Sentences
"Everyone has a different idea of what is useful in their daily lives." noun
"You should use your phone to take pictures of the scenery." verb
"I need to use my keys to open the front door." verb
"She will use her lunch break to read a book." verb
"Please do not use that phone while driving." verb
Related Terms
call writing cut ladies riding hood usable gentlemen gentlemen's take used gents paint touch smell wash force stock up on cestuy que use green labelling one sidedly
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
activity utility demand custom influence legal right consume exploit act
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
practice play misuse exploitation recycling application raison d'etre conspicuous consumption ritual second nature cleanliness mind game fair use fruition give pull out all the stops put ply address waste misapply avail overuse cannibalize recycle exploit strain exert enjoy take share work implement fall back smoke drug pervert abuse spare trespass follow

Origin

The word "use" entered English in the Middle Ages via Old French, carrying its Latin root meaning of custom or skill. It replaced earlier native terms like "note," which originally referred to a note or mark before shifting to mean usage itself.

Rhyming Words
cuse duse fuse euse ruse muse suse ause ouse zuse cause v use meuse kouse couse bouse druse mouse pause cruse
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