2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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}.] 
  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.''  --Shak. 
 
  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.  [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.] 
 
  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. 
 
  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  using 
  n  :  an  act  that  exploits  or  victimizes  someone  [syn:  {exploitation}, 
  {victimization},  {victimisation}] 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words