use
verb · noun
Simple meaning
to put something into service for a purpose
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
yoosnoun: yoossverb: yooz
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈjus
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
transitive
To employ; to apply; to utilize.
transitivewith gender pronouns as object
To suggest or request that other people employ a specific set of gender pronouns when referring to the subject.
Take or consume (regularly or habitually)
transitive
To consume (alcohol, drugs, etc), especially regularly.
intransitive
To consume a previously specified substance, especially a drug to which one is addicted.
transitiveoften with up
To expend; to consume by employing.
noun
Occasion or need to employ; necessity.
A function; a purpose for which something may be employed.
uncountablefollowed by "of"
Usefulness, benefit.
uncountable
The act of consuming alcohol or narcotics.
The act of using
“He warned against the use of narcotic drugs.”
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: To employ; to apply; to utilize.
Used this way, use is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use use
- “She uses her influential friends to get jobs.”verb
- “He warned against the use of narcotic drugs.”noun
- “He put his knowledge to good use.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
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What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Related Learning
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.