use

the act of using; "he warned against the use of narcotic drugs"; "skilled in the utilization of computers"

what something is used for; "the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?"

a particular service; "he put his knowledge to good use"; "patrons have their uses"

(economics) the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs or in manufacturing; "the consumption of energy has increased steadily"

(psychology) an automatic pattern of behavior in reaction to a specific situation; may be inherited or acquired through frequent repetition; "owls have nocturnal habits"; "she had a habit twirling the ends of her hair"; "long use had hardened him to it"

exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage; "his manipulation of his friends was scandalous"

(law) the exercise of the legal right to enjoy the benefits of owning property; "we were given the use of his boat"

put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't use this tool"; "Apply a magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer"

take or consume (regularly or habitually); "She uses drugs rarely"

use up, consume fully; "The legislature expended its time on school questions"

seek or achieve an end by using to one's advantage; "She uses her influential friends to get jobs"; "The president's wife used her good connections"

avail oneself to; "apply a principle"; "practice a religion"; "use care when going down the stairs"; "use your common sense"; "practice non-violent resistance"

habitually do something (use only in the past tense); "She used to call her mother every week but now she calls only occasionally"; "I used to get sick when I ate in that dining hall"; "They used to vacation in the Bahamas"