English

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Verb

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make use (third-person singular simple present makes use, present participle making use, simple past and past participle made use)

  1. (with of) To use, usually productively and/or for a specific purpose.
    • 1934 February, “The Why and The Wherefore: Chair-keys”, in Railway Magazine, page 139:
      The wooden or steel keys used to secure bull-head rails in their chairs are usually driven in the direction of the traffic, so that the effects of rail-creep may be made use of to wedge the keys more firmly, rather than to encourage them to drop out.
    • 2003, Mary Beth Rossen, John M. Carroll, “53: Scenario-Based Design”, in Julie A. Jacko, Andrew Sears, editors, The Human-Computer Interaction Handbook: Fundamentals, Evolving Technologies, and Emerging Applications, page 1047:
      When we design interactive systems, we make use. We create possibilities for learning, work, and leisure, for interaction and information.
  2. (archaic) To help oneself.
    • 1613, William Shakespeare, The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight[1]:
      Good Cromwell, neglect him not; make use now, and provide for thine own future safety.

Usage notes

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Almost always followed by of.

Synonyms

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Translations

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