use

  • verb /yooz/ 1 take, hold, or deploy as a means of achieving something. 2 (use up) consume or expend the whole of. 3 treat in a particular way. 4 exploit unfairly. 5 /yoost/ (used to) did repeatedly or existed in the past. 6 /yoost/ (be/get used to) be or become familiar with through experience. 7 informal take (an illegal drug).

  • noun /yooss/ 1 the action of using or the state of being used. 2 the ability or power to exercise or manipulate something: he lost the use of his legs. 3 a purpose for or way in which something can be used. 4 value; advantage.

  — PHRASES have no use for informal dislike or be impatient with. make use of use.

  — ORIGIN Old French user, from Latin uti.

Perform another search of the Compact Oxford English Dictionary

About this dictionary
The Compact Oxford English Dictionary of Current English contains 145,000 words, phrases, and definitions.
Find out more about Oxford's range of English dictionaries
Sign up for the AskOxford Word of the Day

Search the Little Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
Search the Concise Dictionary of First Names