use
The act of using.
Noun 4 meanings
The act of using.
“The use of torture has been condemned by the United Nations.”
The act of consuming alcohol or narcotics.
Usefulness, utility, benefit; purpose, point.
“Near-synonyms: meaning, meaningfulness”
A function; a purpose for which something may be employed.
“This tool has many uses.”
Verb 4 meanings
To utilize or employ.
“Use this knife to slice the bread.”
To accustom; to habituate. (Now common only in participial form. Uses the same pronunciation as the noun; see usage notes.)
“soldiers who are used to hardships and danger”
To habitually do; to be wont to do. (Now chiefly in past-tense forms; see used to.)
“I used to get things done.”
To behave toward; to act with regard to; to treat.
“to use an animal cruelly”
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English use, from Old French us, from Latin ūsus (“use, custom, skill, habit”), from past participle stem of ūtor (“use”).
Similar and opposite words
USE at a glance
USE has 3 letters and scores 3 points in Scrabble (U 1 + S 1 + E 1) and 4 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #145 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with use
All rhymesOne letter away
- UTE3
- URE3
- UKE7
- OSE3
- ULE3
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