# use

> English word · Noun · IPA /juːs/ · frequency rank #153

## Definitions
1. The act of using.
2. The act of consuming alcohol or narcotics.
3. Usefulness, benefit.
4. A function; a purpose for which something may be employed.
5. Occasion or need to employ; necessity.
6. Interest for lent money; premium paid for the use of something; usury.
7. Continued or repeated practice; usage; habit.
8. Common occurrence; ordinary experience.
9. A special form of a rite adopted for use in a particular context, often a diocese.
10. A slab of iron welded to the side of a forging, such as a shaft, near the end, and afterward drawn down, by hammering, so as to lengthen the forging.

## Etymology
Noun from Middle English use, from Old French us, from Latin ūsus (“use, custom, skill, habit”), from past participle stem of ūtor (“use”). Displaced native Middle English note (“use”) (see note) from Old English notu; Middle English nutte (“use”) from Old English nytt; as well as Old English fricu and Old English sidu.
Verb from Middle English usen, from Old French user (“use, employ, practice”), from Medieval Latin usare (“use”), frequentative form of past participle stem of Latin uti (“to use”). Displaced native Middle English noten, nutten (“to use”) (from Old English notian, nēotan, nyttian) and Middle English brouken, bruken (“to use, enjoy”) (from Old English brūcan).

## Easily confused with
- **UT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-ut)
- **UV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-uv)
- **UW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-uw)
- **UU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-uu)
- **UTC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-utc)
- **USS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-uss)
- **UST** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-ust)
- **UVA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-uva)
- **ute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-ute)
- **utd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-utd)
- **uzi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-uzi)
- **USP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-usp)
- **USO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-uso)
- **USF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-usf)
- **uta** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-uta)
- **uwu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-uwu)
- **used** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-used)
- **uses** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-uses)
- **user** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-user)
- **USSR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/use-vs-ussr)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/use