use

n.

1. The act of using

   practice, employment, application, usage, appliance, effecting, adoption, utilization, manipulation, bringing to bear, management, handling, performance, conduct, recourse, resort, exercise, treatment, method, technique, control, resolution, realization, association.

   Antonyms neglect*, disuse*, dismissal. *

2. The state of being useful

   utility, usefulness, usability, employment, application, value, worth, advantage, excellence, helpfulness, convenience, suitability, expedience, aid, serviceability, merit, profit, practicability, practicality, stead, fitness, subservience, effectiveness, applicability.

use

v.

1. To make use of

   avail oneself of, employ, put to use, exercise, exert, put forth, utilize, apply, bring to bear, practice, play on, do with, draw on, adopt, take advantage of, turn to account, make do, accept, work, put in practice, relate, make with, put to work, make shift with.

   Antonyms discard*, reject*, refuse*. *

2. To make a practice of; now only in the past tense with an infinitive

   be accustomed to, practice, do.

3. To behave toward

   deal with, handle, bear oneself toward; see manage 1.

use implies the putting of a thing (or, usually in an opprobrious sense, a person regarded as a passive thing) into action or service so as to accomplish an end to use a pencil, a suggestion, etc.; he used his brother to advance himself; employ, a somewhat more elevated term, implies the putting to useful work of something not in use at that moment to employ a vacant lot as a playground and, with reference to persons, suggests a providing of work and pay she employs five accountants; utilize implies the putting of something to a practical or profitable use to utilize chemical byproducts