use
Cross references:
1. habit
1. use \'yu:s\ n [ME us, fr. OF, fr. L usus, fr. usus, pp. of uti to use]
1a: the act or practice of employing something : EMPLOYMENT, APP LICATION
{put knowledge to ~} 1b: the fact or state of being used {a dish in daily
~} 1c: a method or manner of employing or applying something : USAGE 2a1:
habitual or customary practice 2a2: an individual habit or group custom
2b: a liturgical form or observance; esp : a liturgy having modific ations
peculiar to a local church or religious order 3a: the privilege or benefit
of using something 3b: the ability or power to use something (as a limb or
faculty) 3c: the legal enjoyment of property that consists in its
employment, occupa tion, exercise, or practice 4a: a particular service or
end : OBJECT, FUNCTION 4b: the quality of being suitable for employment :
USEFULNESS, U TILITY 4c: the occasion or need to employ 5a: the benefit in
law of one or more persons; specif : the benefit or profit of property
established in one other than the legal possessor 5b: a legal arrangement
by which such benefits and profits are so establish ed 6: ESTEEM, LIKING
{had no ~ for modern art}
2. use \'yu:z\ \'yu:zd, in the phrase "used to" usually 'yu:s(t)\
\'yu:-zin\ vb or used; or us.ing 1: ACCUSTOM, HABITUATE, INURE 2: to put
into action or service : avail oneself of : EMPLOY 3: to consume or take
(as liquor or drugs) regularly 4: to carry out a purpose or action by
means of : UTILIZE 5: to expend or consume by putting to use 6: to behave
toward : act with regard to : TREAT {used t he prisoners cruelly} 1: to be
in the habit or custom of doing something 2: - used in the past with to to
indicate a former fact or state <(claims winters used to be harder}s a
means or instrument to an end; EMPLOY suggests the use of a person or thing
that is available because idle, inactive, or disengaged; UTILIZE may
suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something
SYN syn EMPLOY, UTILIZE: USE implies availing oneself of a
Webster's English Dictionary