Chapter 1818

Syn. -- Employ. -- 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.

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

To study nature will thy time employ : Knowledge and innocence are perfect joy. Dryden.

Use <Xpage=1588>

Use (?) , v. i. 1. To be wont or accustomed; to be in the habit or practice; as, he used to ride daily ; -- now disused in the present tense, perhaps because of the similarity in sound, between " use to," and " used to."

They use to place him that shall be their captain on a stone. Spenser.

Fears use to be represented in an imaginary. Bacon.

Thus we use to say, it is the room that smokes, when indeed it is the fire in the room. South.

Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp. Ex. xxxiii. 7 (Rev. Ver.)

2. To be accustomed to go; to frequent; to inhabit; to dwell; -- sometimes followed by of . [Obs.] "Where never foot did use ."

Spenser.

He useth every day to a merchant's house. B. Jonson.

Ye valleys low, where the mild whispers use Of shades, and wanton winds, and gushing brooks. Milton.

Useful <Xpage=1588>

Use"ful (?) , a. Full of use, advantage, or profit; producing, or having power to produce, good; serviceable for any end or object; helpful toward advancing any purpose; beneficial; profitable; advantageous; as, vessels and instruments useful in a family; books useful for improvement; useful knowledge; useful arts .

To what can I useful ! Milton.

Usefully <Xpage=1588>

Use"ful*ly , adv. In a useful manner.

Usefulness <Xpage=1588>

Use"ful*ness , n. The quality or state of being useful; utility; serviceableness; advantage.

Addison.

Syn. -- Utility; value; profit. See Utility .

Useless <Xpage=1588>

Use"less , a. Having, or being of, no use; unserviceable; producing no good end; answering no valuable purpose; not advancing the end proposed; unprofitable; ineffectual; as, a useless garment; useless pity .

Not to sit idle with so great a gift Useless , and thence ridiculous. Milton.

Syn. -- Fruitless; ineffectual. -- Useless , Fruitless , Ineffectual . We speak of an attempt, effort, etc., as being useless when there are in it inherent difficulties which forbid the hope of success, as fruitless when it fails, not from any such difficulties, but from some unexpected hindrance arising to frustrate it; as, the design was rendered fruitless by the death of its projector . Ineffectual nearly resembles fruitless , but implies a failure of a less hopeless character; as, after several ineffectual efforts, I at last succeeded .

Useless are all words Till you have writ "performance" with your swords. The other is for waiving. Beau. & Fl.

Waiving all searches into antiquity, in relation to this controversy, as being either needless or fruitless . Waterland.

Even our blessed Savior's preaching, who spake as never man spake, was ineffectual to many. Bp. Stillingfleet.

-- Use"less*ly , adv. -- Use"less*ness , n.

User <Xpage=1588>

Us"er (?) , n. 1. One who uses.

Shak.

2. (Law) Enjoyment of property; use.

Mozley & W.

Usher <Xpage=1588>

Ush"er (?) , n. [OE. ussher , uschere , OF. ussier , uisser , oissier , hussier , huissier , fr. L. ostiarius a doorkeeper, fr. ostium a door, entrance, fr. os mouth. See Oral , and cf. Ostiary .]

1. An officer or servant who has the care of the door of a court, hall, chamber, or the like; hence, an officer whose business it is to introduce strangers, or to walk before a person of rank. Also, one who escorts persons to seats in a church, theater, etc. "The ushers and the squires."

Chaucer.

These are the ushers of Marcius. Shak.

&hand; There are various officers of this kind attached to the royal household in England, including the gentleman usher of the black rod, who attends in the House of Peers during the sessions of Parliament, and twelve or more gentlemen ushers. See Black rod .

2. An under teacher, or assistant master, in a school.

Usher <Xpage=1588>

Ush"er , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Ushered (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Ushering .] To introduce or escort, as an usher, forerunner, or harbinger; to forerun; -- sometimes followed by in or forth ; as, to usher in a stranger; to usher forth the guests; to usher a visitor into the room .

The stars that usher evening rose. Milton.

The Examiner was ushered into the world by a letter, setting forth the great genius of the author. Addison.

Usherance <Xpage=1588>

Ush"er*ance (?) , n. The act of ushering, or the state of being ushered in. [Obs.]

Shaftesbury.

Usherdom <Xpage=1588>

Ush"er*dom (?) , n. The office or position of an usher; ushership; also, ushers, collectively. [R.]

Usherless <Xpage=1588>

Ush"er*less , a. Destitute of an usher.

Marston.

Ushership <Xpage=1588>

Ush"er*ship , n. The office of an usher; usherdom.

Usitative <Xpage=1588>

Us"i*ta*tive (?) , a. [L. usitari to use often.] Denoting usual or customary action. "The usitative aorist."

Alford.

Usnea <Xpage=1588>

Us"ne*a (?) , n. [NL., from Ar. usnah moss.] (Bot.) A genus of lichens, most of the species of which have long, gray, pendulous, and finely branched fronds. Usnea barbata is the common bearded lichen which grows on branches of trees in northern forests.

Usnic <Xpage=1588>

Us"nic (?) , a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a complex acid obtained, as a yellow crystalline substance, from certain genera of lichens ( Usnea , Parmelia , etc.).

Usquebaugh <Xpage=1588>

Us"que*baugh (?) , n. [Ir. or Gael. uisge beatha , literally, water of life; uisge water + beatha life; akin to Gr. bi`os life. See Quick , a. , and cf. Whisky .]

1. A compound distilled spirit made in Ireland and Scotland; whisky.

The Scottish returns being vested in grouse, white hares, pickled salmon, and usquebaugh . Sir W. Scott.

2. A liquor compounded of brandy, or other strong spirit, raisins, cinnamon and other spices.

Brande & C.

Usself <Xpage=1588>

Us`self" (?) , n. pl. Ourselves. [Obs.]

Wyclif. Piers Plowman. Chaucer.

Ustion <Xpage=1588>

Us"tion (?) , n. [L. ustio , fr. urere , ustum , to burn: cf. F. ustion .] The act of burning, or the state of being burned. [R.]

Johnson.

Ustorious <Xpage=1588>

Us*to"ri*ous (?) , a. [L. urere , ustum , to burn.] Having the quality of burning. [R.]

I. Watts.

Ustulate <Xpage=1588>

Us"tu*late (?) , a. [L. ustulatus , p. p. of ustulare to scorch, urere to burn.] Blackened as if burned.

Ustulation <Xpage=1588>

Us`tu*la"tion (?) , n. [Cf. F. ustulation .]

1. The act of burning or searing. [R.]

Sir W. Petty.

2. (Old Chem.) The operation of expelling one substance from another by heat, as sulphur or arsenic from ores, in a muffle.

3. (Pharm.) (a) The roasting or drying of moist substances so as prepare them for pulverizing. (b) The burning of wine.

4. Lascivious passion; concupiscence. [Obs.]

It is not certain that they took the better part when they chose ustulation before marriage, expressly against the apostle. Jer. Taylor.

Usual <Xpage=1588>

U"su*al (?) , a. [L. usualis , from usus use: cf. F. usuel . See Use , n. ] Such as is in common use; such as occurs in ordinary practice, or in the ordinary course of events; customary; ordinary; habitual; common.

Consultation with oracles was a thing very usual and frequent in their times. Hooker.

We can make friends of these usual enemies. Baxter.

-- U"su*al*ly , adv. -- U"su*al*ness , n.

Usucaption <Xpage=1588>

U`su*cap"tion (?; 277) , n. [L. usucapere , usucaptum , to acquire by long use; usu (ablative of usus use) + capere to take: cf. usucapio usucaption.] (Roman Law) The acquisition of the title or right to property by the uninterrupted possession of it for a certain term prescribed by law; -- the same as prescription in common law.

Usufruct <Xpage=1588>

U"su*fruct (?; 277) , n. [L. usufructus , ususfructus , usus et fructus ; usus use + fructus fruit.] (Law) The right of using and enjoying the profits of an estate or other thing belonging to another, without impairing the substance.

Burrill.

Usufructuary <Xpage=1588>

U`su*fruc"tu*a*ry (?) , n. [L. usufructuarius .] (Law) A person who has the use of property and reaps the profits of it.

Wharton.

Usufructuary <Xpage=1588>

U`su*fruc"tu*a*ry , a. (Law) Of or pertaining to a usufruct; having the nature of a usufruct.

The ordinary graces bequeathed by Christ to his church, as the usufructuary property of all its members. Coleridge.

Usurarious, Usurary <Xpage=1588>

U`su*ra"ri*ous (?) , U"su*ra*ry (?) , a. [L. usurarius that serves for use, that pays interest. See Usurer .] Usurious. [Obs.] " Usurarious contracts."

Jer. Taylor. Bp. Hall.

Usure <Xpage=1588>

U"sure (?; 115) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Usured (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Usuring .] [Cf. OF. usurer , LL. usurare .] To practice usury; to charge unlawful interest. [Obs.] "The usuring b senate."

Shak.

I usured not ne to me usured any man. Wyclif (Jer. xv. 10).

Usure <Xpage=1588>

U"sure (?) , n. [F.] Usury. [Obs.]

Wyclif.

Foul usure and lucre of villainy. Chaucer.

Usurer <Xpage=1588>

U"su*rer (?) , n. [F. usurier , LL. usurarius . See Usury , and cf. Usurarious .]

1. One who lends money and takes interest for it; a money lender. [Obs.]

If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer , neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. Ex. xxii. 25.

2. One who lends money at a rate of interest beyond that established by law; one who exacts an exorbitant rate of interest for the use of money.

He was wont to call me usurer . Shak.

Usurious <Xpage=1588>

U*su"ri*ous (?; 277) , a. [From Usury .]

1. Practicing usury; taking illegal or exorbitant interest for the use of money; as, a usurious person .

2. Partaking of usury; containing or involving usury; as, a usurious contract .

-- U*su"ri*ous*ly , adv. -- U*su"ri*ous*ness , n.

Usurp <Xpage=1588>

U*surp" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Usurped (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Usurping .] [L. usurpare , usurpatum , to make use of, enjoy, get possession of, usurp; the first part of usurpare is akin to usus use (see Use , n.): cf. F. usurper .] To seize, and hold in possession, by force, or without right; as, to usurp a throne; to usurp the prerogatives of the crown; to usurp power; to usurp the right of a patron is to oust or dispossess him.

Alack, thou dost usurp authority. Shak.

Another revolution, to get rid of this illegitimate and usurped government, would of course be perfectly justifiable. Burke.

&hand; Usurp is applied to seizure and use of office, functions, powers, rights, etc.; it is not applied to common dispossession of private property.

Syn. -- To arrogate; assume; appropriate.

Usurp <Xpage=1588>

U*surp" , v. i. To commit forcible seizure of place, power, functions, or the like, without right; to commit unjust encroachments; to be, or act as, a usurper.

The parish churches on which the Presbyterians and fanatics had usurped . Evelyn.

And now the Spirits of the Mind Are busy with poor Peter Bell; Upon the rights of visual sense Usurping , with a prevalence More terrible than magic spell. Wordsworth.

Usurpant <Xpage=1588>

U*surp"ant (?) , a. [L. usurpans , p. pr.] Usurping; encroaching. [Obs.]

Gauden.

Usurpation <Xpage=1588>

U`sur*pa"tion (?) , n. [L. usurpatio <?/ making use, usurpation: cf. F. usurpation .]

1. The act of usurping, or of seizing and enjoying; an authorized, arbitrary assumption and exercise of power, especially an infringing on the rights of others; specifically, the illegal seizure of sovereign power; -- commonly used with of , also used with on or upon ; as, the usurpation of a throne; the usurpation of the supreme power .

<page="1589"> Page 1589

He contrived their destruction, with the usurpation of the regal dignity upon him. Sir T. More.

A law [of a State] which is a usurpation upon the general government. O. Ellsworth.

Manifest usurpation on the rights of other States. D. Webster.

&hand; Usurpation , in a peculiar sense, formerly denoted the absolute ouster and dispossession of the patron of a church, by a stranger presenting a clerk to a vacant benefice, who us thereupon admitted and instituted.

2. Use; usage; custom. [Obs.]

Bp. Pearson.

Usurpatory <Xpage=1589>

U*surp"a*to*ry (?) , a. [L. usurpatorius .] Marked by usurpation; usurping. [R.]

Usurpature <Xpage=1589>

U*surp"a*ture (?) , n. Usurpation. [R.] "Beneath man's usurpature ."

R. Browning.

Usurper <Xpage=1589>

U*surp"er (?) , n. One who usurps; especially, one who seizes illegally on sovereign power; as, the usurper of a throne, of power, or of the rights of a patron .

A crown will not want pretenders to claim it, not usurpers , if their power serves them, to possess it. South.

Usurpingly <Xpage=1589>

U*surp"ing*ly , adv. In a usurping manner.

Usury <Xpage=1589>

U"su*ry (?) , n. [OE. usurie , usure , F. usure , L. usura use, usury, interest, fr. uti , p. p. usus , to use. See Use , v. t. ]

1. A premium or increase paid, or stipulated to be paid, for a loan, as of money; interest. [Obs. or Archaic]

Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent upon usury . Deut. xxiii. 19.

Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchanges, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury . Matt. xxv. 27.

What he borrows from the ancients, he repays with usury of <?/<?/is own. Dryden.

2. The practice of taking interest. [Obs.]

Usury . . . bringeth the treasure of a realm or state into a few <?/<?/nds. Bacon.

3. (Law) Interest in excess of a legal rate charged to a borrower for the use of money.

&hand; The practice of requiring in repayment of money lent anything more than the amount lent, was formerly thought to be a great moral wrong, and the greater, the more was taken. Now it is not deemed more wrong to take pay for the use of money than for the use of a house, or a horse, or any other property. But the lingering influence of the former opinion, together with the fact that the nature of money makes it easier for the lender to oppress the borrower, has caused nearly all Christian nations to fix by law the rate of compensation for the use of money. Of late years, however, the opinion that money should be borrowed and repaid, or bought and sold, upon whatever terms the parties should agree to, like any other property, has gained ground everywhere.

Am. Cyc.

Ut <Xpage=1589>

Ut (?) , n. (Min.) The first note in Guido's musical scale, now usually superseded by do . See Solmization .

Utas <Xpage=1589>

U"tas (?) , n. [OF. huitieves , witieves , witaves , oitieves , pl. of huitieve , witieve , etc., eighth, L. octavus . See Octave , n. ] [Written also utis .]

1. (O. Eng. Law) The eighth day after any term or feast; the octave; as, the utas of St. Michael.

Cowell.

The marriage was celebrated and Canterbury, and in the utas of St. Hilary next ensuing she was crowned. Holinshed.

2. Hence, festivity; merriment. [Obs.]

Shak.

Utensil <Xpage=1589>

U*ten"sil (?; 277) , n. [F. utensile , ustensile , L. utensile , fr. utensilis that may be used, fit for use, fr. uti , p. p. usus , to use. See Use , v. t. ] That which is used; an instrument; an implement; especially, an instrument or vessel used in a kitchen, or in domestic and farming business.

Wagons fraught with utensils of war. Milton.

Uterine <Xpage=1589>

U"ter*ine (?; 277) , a. [L. uterinus born of the same mother, from uterus womb: cf. F. ut\'82rin .]

1. Of or instrument to the uterus, or womb.

2. Born of the same mother, but by a different father.

Walter Pope, uterine brother to Dr. Joh. Wilki<?/<?/. Wood.

Uterogestation <Xpage=1589>

U`te*ro*ges*ta"tion (?) , n. [ Uterus + gestation .] Gestation in the womb from conception to birth; pregnancy.

Pritchard.

Uterovaginal <Xpage=1589>

U`te*ro*vag"i*nal (?) , n. [ Uterus + vaginal .] Pertaining to both the uterus and the vagina.

Uterus <Xpage=1589>

U"te*rus (?) , n. [L.] 1. (Anat.) The organ of a female mammal in which the young are developed previous to birth; the womb.