Uses vs. Use - What's the difference?

Use (verb)

take, hold, or deploy (something) as a means of accomplishing or achieving something; employ

"she used her key to open the front door"

"the poem uses simple language"

Use (verb)

treat (someone) in a particular way

"use your troops well and they will not let you down"

Use (verb)

exploit (a person or situation) for one's own advantage

"I couldn't help feeling that she was using me"

Use (verb)

apply (a name or title) to oneself

"she still used her maiden name professionally"

Use (verb)

take (an illegal drug)

"they were using heroin daily"

"had she been using again?"

Use (verb)

take or consume (an amount) from a limited supply

"we have used all the available funds"

Use (verb)

describing an action or situation that was done repeatedly or existed for a period in the past

"this road used to be a dirt track"

"I used to give him lifts home"

Use (verb)

be or become familiar with (someone or something) through experience

"she was used to getting what she wanted"

"he's weird, but you just have to get used to him"

Use (verb)

one would like or benefit from

"I could use another cup of coffee"

Use (noun)

the action of using something or the state of being used for a purpose

"hyper-modern trains are now in use"

"the software is ideal for use in schools"

"theatre owners were charging too much for the use of their venues"

Use (noun)

the ability or power to exercise or manipulate one's mind or body

"the horse lost the use of his hind legs"

Use (noun)

a purpose for or way in which something can be used

"the herb has various culinary uses"

Use (noun)

the value or advantage of something

"it was no use trying to persuade her"

"what's the use of crying?"

Use (noun)

the benefit or profit of lands, especially lands that are in the possession of another who holds them solely for the beneficiary.

Use (noun)

the habitual consumption of a drug

"burgling and dealing financed their heroin use"

Use (noun)

the characteristic ritual and liturgy of a Christian Church or diocese.

Use (noun)

The act of employing anything, or of applying it to one's service; the state of being so employed or applied; application; employment; conversion to some purpose; as, the use of a pen in writing; his machines are in general use.

Use (noun)

Occasion or need to employ; necessity; as, to have no further use for a book.

Use (noun)

Yielding of service; advantage derived; capability of being used; usefulness; utility.

Use (noun)

Continued or repeated practice; customary employment; usage; custom; manner; habit.

Use (noun)

Common occurrence; ordinary experience.

Use (noun)

The special form of ritual adopted for use in any diocese; as, the Sarum, or Canterbury, use; the Hereford use; the York use; the Roman use; etc.

Use (noun)

The premium paid for the possession and employment of borrowed money; interest; usury.

Use (noun)

The benefit or profit of lands and tenements. Use imports a trust and confidence reposed in a man for the holding of lands. He to whose use or benefit the trust is intended shall enjoy the profits. An estate is granted and limited to A for the use of B.

Use (noun)

A stab of iron welded to the side of a forging, as a shaft, near the end, and afterward drawn down, by hammering, so as to lengthen the forging.

Use

To make use of; to convert to one's service; to avail one's self of; to employ; to put a purpose; as, to use a plow; to use a chair; to use time; to use flour for food; to use water for irrigation.

Use

To behave toward; to act with regard to; to treat; as, to use a beast cruelly.

Use

To practice customarily; to make a practice of; as, to use diligence in business.

Use

To accustom; to habituate; to render familiar by practice; to inure; - employed chiefly in the passive participle; as, men used to cold and hunger; soldiers used to hardships and danger.

Use (verb)

To be wont or accustomed; to be in the habit or practice; as, he used to ride daily; - now disused in the present tense, perhaps because of the similarity in sound, between "use to," and "used to."

Use (verb)

To be accustomed to go; to frequent; to inhabit; to dwell; - sometimes followed by of.

Use (noun)

the act of using;

"he warned against the use of narcotic drugs"

"skilled in the utilization of computers"

Use (noun)

a particular service;

"he put his knowledge to good use"

"patrons have their uses"

Use (noun)

what something is used for;

"the function of an auger is to bore holes"

"ballet is beautiful but what use is it?"

Use (noun)

(economics) the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs or in manufacturing;

"the consumption of energy has increased steadily"

Use (noun)

a pattern of behavior acquired through frequent repetition;

"she had a habit twirling the ends of her hair"

"long use had hardened him to it"

Use (noun)

(law) the exercise of the legal right to enjoy the benefits of owning property;

"we were given the use of his boat"

Use (noun)

exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage;

"his manipulation of his friends was scandalous"

Use (verb)

put into service; make work or employ (something) for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose;

"use your head!"

"we only use Spanish at home"

"I can't make use of 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"

Use (verb)

take or consume (regularly or habitually);

"She uses drugs rarely"

Use (verb)

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"

Use (verb)

use up, consume fully;

"The legislature expended its time on school questions"

Use (verb)

avail oneself to;

"apply a principle"

"practice a religion"

"use care when going down the stairs"

"use your common sense"

"practice non-violent resistance"

Use (verb)

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"