use (v.)

c. 1200, "employ for a purpose," from Old French user "employ, make use of, practice, frequent," from Vulgar Latin *usare "use," frequentative form of past participle stem of Latin uti "make use of, profit by, take advantage of, enjoy, apply, consume," in Old Latin oeti "use, employ, exercise, perform," of uncertain origin. Related: Used; using. Replaced Old English brucan (see brook (v.)). From late 14c. as "take advantage of."

also from c. 1200

use (n.)

c. 1200, "act of employing," from Anglo-French and Old French us "custom, practice, usage," from Latin usus "use, custom, practice, employment, skill, habit," from past participle stem of uti "make use of, profit by, take advantage of" (see use (v.)).

also from c. 1200

Entries linking to use

brook (v.)

"to endure," Old English brucan "to use, enjoy the use of, possess; eat; cohabit with," from Proto-Germanic *brukjanan "to make use of, enjoy" (source also of Old Saxon brukan, Old Frisian bruka "to use, practice," Dutch gebruiken "to use," Old High German bruhhan, German brauchen "to use, need," Gothic brukjan), from PIE root *bhrug- "to enjoy." The sense of "use" as applied to food led to that of "be able to digest," and by 16c. to "endure, tolerate," always in a negative sense. The original meanings have become obsolete.

abuse (v.)

early 15c., "to misuse, misapply" (power, money, etc.), from Old French abuser "deceive, abuse, misuse" (14c.), from Vulgar Latin *abusare, from Latin abusus "an abusing; a using up," past participle of abuti "use up, consume," also "to misuse, abuse, misapply, outrage," from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + uti "use" (see use).

Also in reference to forbidden sexual situations from early 15c., but originally meaning incest, masturbation (self-abuse), homosexuality, prostitution, etc. From 1550s specifically as "to misuse sexually, ravish," but OED 2nd ed. marks this obsolete and the modern use "subject (someone) to unwanted sexual activity" is likely a fresh coinage from late 20c. Specifically of drugs, from 1968. Meaning "attack with harsh language, revile" is from c. 1600. Related: Abused; abusing.

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Trends of use

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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peruse

late 15c., "to go through searchingly or in detail, run over with careful scrutiny," from Middle English per- "completely" (see per) + use (v.). Meaning "read carefully and critically" is by 1530s, but this could be a separate formation. Meaning "read casually" is from 19c. Relat

used

"second-hand," 1590s, past-participle adjective from use (v.). To be used to "accustomed, familiar" is recorded by late 14c. Verbal phrase used to "formerly did or was" (as in I used to love her) represents a construction attested from c. 1300, and common from c. 1400, from use (

usufruct

"right to the use and profits of the property of another without damaging it," 1610s (implied in usufructuary), from Late Latin usufructus, in full usus et fructus "use and enjoyment," from Latin usus "a use" (see use (n.)) + fructus "enjoyment," also "fruit" (from PIE root *bhru

season

Figurative use by 1510s....to maturity by prolonged exposure to some condition," by 1540s; hence in extended sense "bring to the best condition or use...; of persons "fit to any use by time or habit," c. 1600....Intransitive sense of "become mature, grow fit for use" is by 1670s....

expectorate

c. 1600, "to clear out the chest or lungs," a literal use of Latin expectoratus, past participle of expectorare, which in...classical use was figurative, "scorn, expel from the mind," literally "drive from the breast, make a clean breast," from...Its use as a euphemism for "spit" is recorded by 1827....

nim

"to take, take up in the hands in order to move, carry, or use; take unlawfully, steal" (archaic), Old English niman "to...The native word, replaced by Scandinavian-derived take (v.) and out of use from c. 1500 except in slang sense of "to steal...The derivatives numb and nimble remain in use....

consume

destroy the substance of, annihilate," from Old French consumer "to consume" (12c.) and directly from Latin consumere "to use...Specifically, "to destroy by use, wear out by applying to its natural or intended use" from c. 1400....

influence

late 14c., an astrological term, "streaming ethereal power from the stars when in certain positions, acting upon character or destiny of men," from Old French influence "emanation from the stars that acts upon one's character and destiny" (13c.), also "a flow of water, a flowing

apply

late 14c., "join or combine (with); attach (to something), adhere," from Old French aploiier "apply, use, attach" (12c., Modern French appliquer), from Latin applicare "attach to, join, connect;" figuratively, "devote (oneself) to, give attention," from ad "to" (see ad-) + plicar

address

early 14c., "to guide, aim, or direct," from Old French adrecier "go straight toward; straighten, set right; point, direct" (13c.), from Vulgar Latin *addirectiare "make straight" (source also of Spanish aderezar, Italian addirizzare), from ad "to" (see ad-) + *directiare "make s

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updated on September 28, 2017

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