use

views updated May 17 2018

use • v. 1. / yoōz/ [tr.] take, hold, or deploy (something) as a means of accomplishing a purpose or achieving a result; employ: she used her key to open the front door the poem uses simple language. ∎  take or consume (an amount) from a limited supply of something: we have used all the available funds. ∎  exploit (a person or situation) for one's own advantage: I couldn't help feeling that she was using me. ∎  [tr.] treat (someone) in a particular way: use your troops well and they will not let you down. ∎  apply (a name or title) to oneself: she still used her maiden name professionally. ∎  (one could use) inf. one would like or benefit from: I could use another cup of coffee. ∎ inf. take (an illegal drug): they were using heroin daily | [intr.] had she been using again? 2. / yoōst/ [in past] (used to) describing an action or state of affairs that was done repeatedly or existed for a period in the past: this road used to be a dirt track I used to give him lifts home. 3. / yoōst/ (be/get used to) be or become familiar with someone or something through experience: she was used to getting what she wanted he's weird, but you just have to get used to him.• n. / yoōs/ the action of using something or the state of being used for some purpose: a member of staff is present when the pool is in use theater owners were charging too much for the use of their venues. ∎  the ability or power to exercise or manipulate something, esp. one's mind or body: the horse lost the use of his hind legs. ∎  a purpose for or way in which something can be used: the herb has various culinary uses. ∎  the value or advantage of something: it was no use trying to persuade her what's the use of crying? ∎  hist. Law the benefit or profit of lands, esp. lands that are in the possession of another who holds them solely for the beneficiary. ∎  the characteristic ritual and liturgy of a church or diocese. ∎  the action of taking or habitual consumption of a drug.PHRASES: have its (or one's) uses inf. be useful on certain occasions or in certain respects.have no use for be unable to find a purpose for; have no need for: he had no use for a single glove. ∎ inf. dislike or be impatient with.make use of use for a purpose. ∎  benefit from: they were educated enough to make use of further training.use and wont formal established custom.use someone's name quote someone as an authority or reference.PHRASAL VERBS: use something up consume or expend the whole of something: the money was soon used up. ∎  find a purpose for something that is left over: I might use up all my odd scraps of wool to make a scarf. ∎  (be used up) inf. (of a person) be worn out, esp. with overwork: she was tired and used up.

Use

views updated Jun 11 2018

USE

The fact of being habitually employed in a certain manner. In real property law, a right held by an individual (called a cestui que use) to take the profits arising from a particular parcel of land that was owned and possessed by another individual.

For example, a seller of goods might make an implied warranty of fitness for a particular use, which signifies that an item or a product is fit to be used for a specific purpose, such as a tire meant for use in the snow.

The cestui que use received the benefits from the property even though title to such land was in another individual. This theory is no longer part of the U.S. legal system; however, the modern law of trusts evolved from the law relating to uses.

cross-references

Product Liability; Sales Law.

use

views updated May 29 2018

use act or manner of using, fact of being used. XIII. ME. us — (O)F. us :- L. ūsus use, usage, f. ūs-, pp. stem of ūtī vb. use.
Hence useful, useless XVI. So use observe (a custom, rite, etc.), follow as a custom XIII; engage in, employ, deal with XIV; habituate, accustom (be used to XV); intr. be accustomed (now only in pt.). — (O)F. user †employ (now user de), consume, wear out:- Rom. *ūsāre, f. L. pp. stem ūs-.

Use

views updated May 23 2018

Use. A local modification of the prevailing Christian rite (especially the Roman rite). These uses, which differed from the parent rite only in details, came to be standardized and employed over wide areas.