'Use' definitions:

Definition of 'use'

From: WordNet
noun
The act of using; "he warned against the use of narcotic drugs"; "skilled in the utilization of computers" [syn: use, usage, utilization, utilisation, employment, exercise]
noun
What something is used for; "the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?" [syn: function, purpose, role, use]
noun
A particular service; "he put his knowledge to good use"; "patrons have their uses"
noun
(economics) the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs or in manufacturing; "the consumption of energy has increased steadily" [syn: consumption, economic consumption, usance, use, use of goods and services]
noun
(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" [syn: habit, use]
noun
Exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage; "his manipulation of his friends was scandalous" [syn: manipulation, use]
noun
(law) the exercise of the legal right to enjoy the benefits of owning property; "we were given the use of his boat" [syn: use, enjoyment]
verb
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" [syn: use, utilize, utilise, apply, employ]
verb
Take or consume (regularly or habitually); "She uses drugs rarely" [syn: use, habituate]
verb
Use up, consume fully; "The legislature expended its time on school questions" [syn: use, expend]
verb
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"
verb
Avail oneself to; "apply a principle"; "practice a religion"; "use care when going down the stairs"; "use your common sense"; "practice non-violent resistance" [syn: practice, apply, use]
verb
Habitually do something (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"

Definition of 'Use'

From: GCIDE
  • Use \Use\, n. [OE. us use, usage, L. usus, from uti, p. p. usus, to use. See Use, v. t.] [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Books can never teach the use of books. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
  • This Davy serves you for good uses. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • When he framed All things to man's delightful use. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Occasion or need to employ; necessity; as, to have no further use for a book. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Yielding of service; advantage derived; capability of being used; usefulness; utility. [1913 Webster]
  • God made two great lights, great for their use To man. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • 'T is use alone that sanctifies expense. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. Continued or repeated practice; customary employment; usage; custom; manner; habit. [1913 Webster]
  • Let later age that noble use envy. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world! --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. Common occurrence; ordinary experience. [R.] [1913 Webster]
  • O Caesar! these things are beyond all use. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. (Eccl.) 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. [1913 Webster]
  • From henceforth all the whole realm shall have but one use. --Pref. to Book of Common Prayer. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. The premium paid for the possession and employment of borrowed money; interest; usury. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
  • Thou art more obliged to pay duty and tribute, use and principal, to him. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. [In this sense probably a corruption of OF. oes, fr. L. opus need, business, employment, work. Cf. Operate.] (Law) 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 9. (Forging) 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Contingent use, or Springing use (Law), a use to come into operation on a future uncertain event.
  • In use. (a) In employment; in customary practice observance. (b) In heat; -- said especially of mares. --J. H. Walsh.
  • Of no use, useless; of no advantage.
  • Of use, useful; of advantage; profitable.
  • Out of use, not in employment.
  • Resulting use (Law), a use, which, being limited by the deed, expires or can not vest, and results or returns to him who raised it, after such expiration.
  • Secondary use, or Shifting use, a use which, though executed, may change from one to another by circumstances. --Blackstone.
  • Statute of uses (Eng. Law), 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. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Use'

From: GCIDE
  • Use \Use\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Used; p. pr. & vb. n. Using.] [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.] [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Some other means I have which may be used. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To behave toward; to act with regard to; to treat; as, to use a beast cruelly. "I will use him well." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • How wouldst thou use me now? --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • Cato has used me ill. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To practice customarily; to make a practice of; as, to use diligence in business. [1913 Webster]
  • Use hospitality one to another. --1 Pet. iv. 9. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • I am so used in the fire to blow. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • Thou with thy compeers, Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • To use one's self, to behave. [Obs.] "Pray, forgive me, if I have used myself unmannerly." --Shak.
  • To use up. (a) To consume or exhaust by using; to leave nothing of; as, to use up the supplies. (b) To exhaust; to tire out; to leave no capacity of force or use in; to overthrow; as, he was used up by fatigue. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]
  • Syn: Employ.
  • Usage: 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. [1913 Webster]
  • I would, my son, that thou wouldst use the power Which thy discretion gives thee, to control And manage all. --Cowper. [1913 Webster]
  • To study nature will thy time employ: Knowledge and innocence are perfect joy. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Use'

From: GCIDE
  • Use \Use\, v. i.
  • 1. 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." [1913 Webster]
  • They use to place him that shall be their captain on a stone. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • Fears use to be represented in an imaginary. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
  • Thus we use to say, it is the room that smokes, when indeed it is the fire in the room. --South. [1913 Webster]
  • Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp. --Ex. xxxiii. 7 (Rev. Ver.) [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To be accustomed to go; to frequent; to inhabit; to dwell; -- sometimes followed by of. [Obs.] "Where never foot did use." --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • He useth every day to a merchant's house. --B. Jonson. [1913 Webster]
  • Ye valleys low, where the mild whispers use Of shades, and wanton winds, and gushing brooks. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'use'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Use'