use

From Old French 'user', from Latin 'uti', meaning 'to take, to employ'.

NOUN (1)
[/juːs/en-US]
uso literal / utilización formal / aplicación / empleo / concepto de uso untranslatable (No direct equivalent concept in SPANISH)
Synonyms utilization formal , application , employment
Antonyms misuse , neglect

The act of employing or applying something for a particular purpose; the state of being put into service or utilized; the purpose for which something is intended or employed.

plural
uses
  • What's the use of this complicated machine if nobody knows how to operate it? — What is the purpose or benefit of this machine?
  • The constant use of mobile phones can affect our eyesight. — The continuous employment or application of mobile phones.
  • They found a practical use for the discarded materials. — They discovered a beneficial application for the materials that were thrown away.
VERB (1)
[/juːz/en-US]
usar literal / emplear / utilizar / explotar / concepto de uso untranslatable (No direct equivalent concept in SPANISH)
Synonyms employ , utilize , exploit
Antonyms abandon , disuse

To put into service or operation; to employ for a particular purpose; to apply or utilize something as a means to an end.

regular
past present_participle
used using
  • Can I use your pen for a moment? — May I borrow and write with your pen briefly?
  • You should use the stairs instead of the elevator for exercise. — You should take the stairs as a means of physical activity.
  • They decided to use the old barn as a storage facility. — They chose to repurpose the old barn for keeping things.