To use one's self

To use one's self
Use Use, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Used}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Using}.] [OE. usen, F. user to use, use up, wear out, LL. usare to use, from L. uti, p. p. usus, to use, OL. oeti, oesus; of uncertain origin. Cf. {Utility}.] [1913 Webster] 1. 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. [1913 Webster]

Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Some other means I have which may be used. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. To behave toward; to act with regard to; to treat; as, to use a beast cruelly. ``I will use him well.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

How wouldst thou use me now? --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Cato has used me ill. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

3. To practice customarily; to make a practice of; as, to use diligence in business. [1913 Webster]

Use hospitality one to another. --1 Pet. iv. 9. [1913 Webster]

4. 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. [1913 Webster]

I am so used in the fire to blow. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Thou with thy compeers, Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

{To use one's self}, to behave. [Obs.] ``Pray, forgive me, if I have used myself unmannerly.'' --Shak.

{To use up}. (a) To consume or exhaust by using; to leave nothing of; as, to use up the supplies. (b) To exhaust; to tire out; to leave no capacity of force or use in; to overthrow; as, he was used up by fatigue. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

Syn: Employ.

Usage: {Use}, {Employ}. We use a thing, or make use of it, when we derive from it some enjoyment or service. We employ it when we turn that service into a particular channel. We use words to express our general meaning; we employ certain technical terms in reference to a given subject. To make use of, implies passivity in the thing; as, to make use of a pen; and hence there is often a material difference between the two words when applied to persons. To speak of ``making use of another'' generally implies a degrading idea, as if we had used him as a tool; while employ has no such sense. A confidential friend is employed to negotiate; an inferior agent is made use of on an intrigue. [1913 Webster]

I would, my son, that thou wouldst use the power Which thy discretion gives thee, to control And manage all. --Cowper. [1913 Webster]

To study nature will thy time employ: Knowledge and innocence are perfect joy. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • To serve one's self of — Serve Serve, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Served}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Serving}.] [OE. serven, servien, OF. & F. servir, fr. L. servire; akin to servus a servant or slave, servare to protect, preserve, observe; cf. Zend har to protect, haurva protecting. Cf …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To employ one's self — Employ Em*ploy , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Employed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Employing}.] [F. employer, fr. L. implicare to fold into, infold, involve, implicate, engage; in + plicare to fold. See {Ply}, and cf. {Imply}, {Implicate}.] 1. To inclose; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To spare one's self — Spare Spare, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spared}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sparing}.] [AS. sparian, fr. sp[ae]r spare, sparing, saving; akin to D. & G. sparen, OHG. spar?n, Icel. & Sw. spara, Dan. spare See {Spare}, a.] 1. To use frugally or stintingly, as that …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To assert one's self — Assert As*sert , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Asserted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Asserting}.] [L. assertus, p. p. of asserere to join or fasten to one s self, claim, maintain; ad + serere to join or bind together. See {Series}.] 1. To affirm; to declare with… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To lose one's self — Lose Lose (l[=oo]z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Lost} (l[o^]st; 115) p. pr. & vb. n. {Losing} (l[=oo]z [i^]ng).] [OE. losien to loose, be lost, lose, AS. losian to become loose; akin to OE. leosen to lose, p. p. loren, lorn, AS. le[ o]san, p. p. loren… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To endeavor one's self — Endeavor En*deav or, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Endeavored}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Endeavoring}.] [OE. endevor; pref. en + dever, devoir, duty, F. devoir: cf. F. se mettre en devoir de faire quelque chose to try to do a thing, to go about it. See {Devoir},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To avail one's self of — Avail A*vail , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Availed} (?); p. pr. & vb. n. {Availing}.] [OE. availen, fr. F. ? (L. ad) + valoir to be worth, fr. L. valere to be strong, to be worth. See {Valiant}.] 1. To turn to the advantage of; to be of service to; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To enjoy one's self — Enjoy En*joy , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Enjoyed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Enjoying}.] [OF. enjoier to receive with joy; pref. en (L. in) + OF. & F. joie joy: cf. OF. enjoir to enjoy. See {Joy}.] 1. To take pleasure or satisfaction in the possession or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To exert one's self — Exert Ex*ert , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Exerted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Exerting}.] [L. exertus, exsertus, p. p. of exerere, exserere, to thrust out; ex out + serere to join or bind together. See {Series}, and cf. {Exsert}.] 1. To thrust forth; to emit;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Use — Use, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Used}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Using}.] [OE. usen, F. user to use, use up, wear out, LL. usare to use, from L. uti, p. p. usus, to use, OL. oeti, oesus; of uncertain origin. Cf. {Utility}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To make use of; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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