use
verb
uk
/juːz/ us
/juːz/use verb (PURPOSE)
A1 [ T ] us
uk
/juːz/ used | used
[ + to infinitive ] Use scissors to cut the shapes out.
Going on the expedition gives me a chance to use all the training I've had.
be used for These lights are used for illuminating the playing area.
use something against someone/something To use military force against the protesters would be unacceptable.
- adopt
- adoption
- avail
- avail yourself of something
- be/go heavy on something idiom
- draw
- exhaust
- gobble something up
- make capital out of something idiom
- max
- max out
- mine a rich seam of something idiom
- spare
- spent
- tap
- turn/use something to good account idiom
- unblock
- underuse
- underused
- underutilization
use verb (REDUCE)
B1 [ T ] uk
/juːz/ us
/juːz/ used | used
- adopt
- adoption
- avail
- avail yourself of something
- be/go heavy on something idiom
- draw
- exhaust
- gobble something up
- make capital out of something idiom
- max
- max out
- mine a rich seam of something idiom
- spare
- spent
- tap
- turn/use something to good account idiom
- unblock
- underuse
- underused
- underutilization
use verb (WORD)
B2 [ T ] uk
/juːz/ us
/juːz/ used | used
to say or write a particular word or phrase:
- (your) every word idiom
- add
- come out with something
- every
- fall from something
- find your voice idiom
- get in
- in your own words idiom
- intone
- loud
- mouth
- quoth
- say
- spoken
- string
- talk sense idiom
- think
- utterance
- verbalize
- volunteer
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
use verb (TAKE ADVANTAGE)
C2 [ T ] usually disapproving uk
/juːz/ us
/juːz/ used | used
- She uses her newspaper column to expound her views on environmental issues.
- I think that some of her friends use her, rather, because she is so generous.
- She is just using the situation to gain a lot of cheap publicity.
- Many illegal immigrants are being shamefully used by unscrupulous employers.
- After years of being used and abused by her husband, Ruth finally left him.
- a raw deal idiom
- abuser
- anti-harassment
- at the hands of someone idiom
- batten
- batten on someone
- hit someone where it hurts idiom
- ill-treat
- ill-treatment
- ill-used
- impose
- prey
- prey on something
- put someone through something
- put upon
- tyranny
- uncared for
- victimization
- victimize
- victimology
use verb (IN THE PAST)
use to uk
/ˈjuːsˌtə/ us
/ˈjuːsˌtə/
Idioms
Phrasal verb
use
noun
uk
/juːs/ us
/juːs/use noun (PURPOSE)
B1 [ C or U ]
a purpose for which something is used:
A2 [ U ]
put something to (good) use You should be able to put your experience in electronics to (good) use in your new job.
not in use a flat-screen TV that becomes a mirror when it is not in use
- The use of cameras in this museum is strictly forbidden.
- I made good use of my time , mixing with a lot of different people and practising my Spanish.
- We make helicopters mainly for military use rather than civil use.
- There was a big controversy over the use of drugs in athletics.
- We disapprove of this use of company funds for political purposes.
- affordance
- ambition
- avail
- cause
- dedicated
- deflect
- dream
- eye
- it's the thought that counts idiom
- key performance indicator
- KPI
- moonshot
- objective
- point
- target
- target setting
- thought
- towards
- undedicated
- undirected
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
use noun (CONSUMPTION)
- adopt
- adoption
- avail
- avail yourself of something
- be/go heavy on something idiom
- draw
- exhaust
- gobble something up
- make capital out of something idiom
- max
- max out
- mine a rich seam of something idiom
- spare
- spent
- tap
- turn/use something to good account idiom
- unblock
- underuse
- underused
- underutilization
use noun (WORD)
[ C ]
one of the meanings of a word, or the way that a particular word is used: