abbr. United states of america.

—v. (using) 1 cause to act or serve for a purpose; bring into service.

- treat in a specified manner (used him shamefully).

- exploit for one's own ends.

- did or had habitually (i used to drink; it used not (or did not use) to rain so often).

- (as used adj.) Second-hand.

- (as used predic. Adj.) (foll. By to) familiar by habit; accustomed (used to hard work). —n. - using or being used.

- right or power of using (lost the use of his legs).

- benefit, advantage (a torch would be of use; it's no use talking).

- custom or usage (established by long use). have no use for 1 not need.

- dislike, be contemptuous of. In use being used. Make use of 1 use.

- benefit from. Out of use not being used. Use up 1 consume completely.

- find a use for (leftovers etc.). [french us, user, ultimately from latin utor us-]

abbr. Universities central council on admissions.

abbr. Union of european football associations.

n. (pl. -lis or -lies) propr. Mottled green and yellow hybrid of a grapefruit and a tangerine. [from *ugly]

adj. (-lier, -liest) 1 unpleasant to the eye, ear, or mind etc. (ugly scar; ugly snarl).

- unpleasantly suggestive; discreditable (ugly rumours).

- threatening, dangerous (an ugly look).

- morally repulsive (ugly vices). ugliness n. [old norse]

- customer n. Threatening or violent person.

- duckling n. Person lacking early promise but blossoming later.

n. (pl. Ulnae) 1 thinner and longer bone in the forearm, opposite to the thumb.

- corresponding bone in an animal's foreleg or a bird's wing. ulnar adj. [latin]

v. (3rd sing. Present -does; past -did; past part. -done; pres. Part. -doing) 1 unfasten (a coat, button, parcel, etc.), or the clothing of (a person).

- annul, cancel (cannot undo the past).

- ruin the prospects, reputation, or morals of.

cost n. Cost of producing one item.

- n. - a individual thing, person, or group, esp. For calculation. B smallest component of a complex whole.

- quantity as a standard of measurement (unit of heat; si unit).

- smallest share in a unit trust.

- part of a mechanism with a specified function.

- fitted item of furniture, esp. As part of a set.

- subgroup with a special function.

- group of buildings, wards, etc., in a hospital.

- a single-digit number. B the number ‘one’. [latin unus one]

- price n. Price charged for each unit of goods supplied.

- trust n. Company investing contributions from many persons in various securities and paying proportional dividends.

prep. Archaic = *to (in all uses except signalling the infinitive). [from *until, with to replacing til]