usagenoun
uk/ˈjuː.sɪdʒ/us/ˈjuː.sɪdʒ/usage noun (WORD)
C1 [ C or U ] the way a particular word in a language, or a language in general, is used:
a guide to common English usage
The earliest recorded usage of the word is in the twelfth century.
C1 [ U ] the way something is treated or used:
Sports equipment is designed to withstand hard usage.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistic terms & linguistic style
- affricate
- allophone
- anaphor
- anaphora
- anaphoric
- double entendre
- ellipsis
- idiomatic
- irregular
- lexicology
- linguistic
- litotes
- neurolinguistics
- parallelism
- philology
- portmanteau word
- semantic
- semiotics
- stylistics
- tone language
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Using and misusing
usage noun (PERSON)
[ U ] formal the bad and unfair way someone treats you:
Many had complained about the usage they'd received at his hands.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Treating people or animals badly
- a raw deal idiom
- at the hands of sb idiom
- batten
- batten on sb
- be heavy on sb idiom
- bleed
- jerk
- jerk sb around
- knife
- knock
- knock sb around
- put sb through sth
- sexual harassment
- shit on sb
- shortchange
- shove
- shove sb around
- torment
- walk
- walk all over sb idiom
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