The instrument has different uses. the power, right, or privilege of employing or using something: to lose the use of the right eye; to be denied the use of a library card. This handout explains the most common uses of three kinds of punctuation: semicolons (;), colons (:), and dashes (—). After reading the handout, you will be better able to decide when to use these forms of punctuation in your own writing. Discover 100 other words for “uses” with quick, listicle-style alternatives—synonyms for apply, employ, utilize, and more to sharpen your writing. to take unfair advantage of; exploit. to use people to gain one's own ends. to drink, smoke, or ingest habitually. to use drugs. to habituate or accustom. Archaic. to practice habitually or customarily; make a practice of. Note: Uses originated in early English law and were the origin of the modern trust. Uses became popular in medieval England, where they were often secretly employed as a method of evading laws (as those prohibiting mortmain) and penalties (as attainder) and to defeat creditors. (law) A form of equitable ownership peculiar to English law, by which one person enjoys the profits of lands, etc. whose legal title is vested in another in trust. Define uses. uses synonyms, uses pronunciation, uses translation, English dictionary definition of uses. v. used , us·ing , us·es v. tr. 1. To put into service or employ for a purpose: I used a whisk to beat the eggs. Autumn is used in British English and fall in American English. That's an expression she often uses to describe how she feels. Understanding the distinction between uses and use is crucial in both written and spoken English. Uses is often associated with lists or discussions of multiple functions, and use is employed when referring to the general act of using something or a specific instance of it being used. Synonyms for USES: utilizes, applies, employs, exploits, operates, harnesses, exercises, draws on; Antonyms of USES: ignores, neglects, misuses, misapplies, disuses, nonuses, dislikes, hatreds.