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use

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90% of the time, speakers of English use just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words appear in red, and are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, two-star words are more frequent, and three-star words are the most frequent.

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noun

/jus/

singular	use
plural	uses

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1
[singular/uncountable] the act of using something
use of:
the use of resources/technology/computers
Farmers are reducing the use of pesticides on food crops.
Their unnecessary use of force has endangered peace efforts.
2
[countable/uncountable] a way of using something
These rollers have a variety of manufacturing uses.
use of:
This is not the best use of your talents.
use for:
I kept hoping to find a use for it.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of use
3
[uncountable] the right, an opportunity, or permission to use something
have the use of something:
We can have the use of the hall every Thursday.
for the use of someone (=only for them to use):
The pool was built for the exclusive use of residents.
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4
[uncountable] the ability to use a part of your body or mind
lose the use of something:
He lost the use of his legs in a car accident.
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5
[countable] a meaning of a word, or a way of speaking or writing a word
This use is now fairly common among young people.
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phrases

be no use
to be useless
This book is no use whatever.
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be of no use
formal
to be useless
be of no use to:
Get some rest or you'll be of no use to anyone.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of use
be of use
to be helpful or useful
Can I be of any use?
be of use to:
This information may be of use to him.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of use
come into use
to start being used by people
Computers first came into use in the early 1950s.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of use
go out of use
mainly British
to stop being used
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of use
have its/your uses
often humorous
to be useful in some situations or in some ways
I know you don't like him, but he has his uses.
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have no use for
1. 1
  used for saying that you do not want or need someone or something because they could never be helpful to you
  The new owners may decide they have no use for the present management.
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2. 2
  informal to dislike someone or something
  I have no use for a liar.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of use
in/out of use
being used regularly/not being used any longer
I'll be glad to see the building in use again.
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it's no use
spoken
used for saying that something is not likely to have a successful result
It's no use. We'll never get there on time.
it's no use doing something:
It's no use asking me. I don't know.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of use
make use of
to use someone or something for a particular purpose, especially one that brings a benefit to you
Why doesn't she make use of her singing talent?
make good use of someone/something:
Michael makes good use of his opportunities.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of use
put something to good use
to use something that you have for a sensible purpose that brings a benefit to you
Do you promise to put the money to good use?
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there's no use (in) doing something
spoken
used for saying that something you do is not likely to have a successful result
She realized there was no use arguing with him.
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what's the use?
spoken
used for saying that something is not likely to have a successful result, and so there is no point in doing it
What's the use? We're sure to lose anyway.
what's the use of doing something?:
What's the use of complaining?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of use

This is the American English definition of use. View British English definition of use.

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View the pronunciation for use.

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use

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phrases

be no use

be of no use

be of use

come into use

go out of use

have its/your uses

have no use for

in/out of use

it's no use

make use of

put something to good use

there's no use (in) doing something

what's the use?

caxirola

Word of the Day

flat racing

pierce the corporate veil