usenv.

Brit.

/ˈjuːsn/, U.S.

/ˈjusn/

Forms: 1. Present stem 1800s usen. 2. Past tense 1800s usent, 1800s– usen, 1800s– usened. 3. Past participle 1700s– usen, 1800s usend, 1800s usenid (pseudo-archaic), 1800s usent, 1900s– usened.

Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: use v.

Etymology: Variant of use v. (compare use v. IV.), originally (see branch I.) as past participle usen , apparently arising as an alteration of used after past participles of strong verbs in -en suffix⁶ (as e.g. eaten , beaten , spoken , etc.). Subsequently (see branch II.) reinterpreted as a present stem, probably by analogy with verbs in -en suffix⁵ (as e.g. liken, weaken, harden, etc.).For other reinterpretations of the verb stem in used (to) in senses at use v. IV. compare use (to) , usted (to) at use v. and see discussion at that entry.

regional. Now rare.

I. As past tense or past participle.

†a. transitive (in passive). = use v. 20a(c). Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > behaviour > customary or habitual mode of behaviour > do habitually [verb (transitive)] > accustom (a person)

weanc960

wonc1175

to teach to1297

usec1300

usec1405

accustom1422

wontc1440

custom?c1450

enure1489

inure1489

induce1490

habituate1530

ure1530

usage1530

trade1539

to trade up1556

exercise1558

flesh1591

habit?1615

habitate1621

occasion1684

usen1715

usen1861

ethize1876

1715 J. Vanbrugh tr. F. C. Dancourt Country House ii. ii. 17 O Measter, O Measter—You'll not chide to Day, as you are usen to do.

b. transitive (in passive). = use v. 20c(a).

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1845 W. G. Simms Wigman & Cabin 2nd Ser. 96 I shook it over him—he's usen to it, I reckon.

1900 J. Fox Cumberland Vendetta 28 Lots o' decent going folks hev got usen to the idee.

1901 J. F. Jane Ever Mohun 167 I be not usen to it yet.

1916 J. W. Riley Compl. Wks. V. 1316 My feet won't get usen to These low lands I'm trompin' through.

1952 F. C. Brown Coll. N. Carolina Folklore I. 603 Pass me the beans; I want something to eat I'm usen to.

c. intransitive. = use v. 21b.

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1851 J. B. Lamar et al. Polly Peablossom's Wedding & Other Tales 50 ‘Old Preach’ (as them Cole boys usen to call me).

1872 Atlantic Monthly May 539/1 We did n't usen to have it, and had n't ought to now.

1910 Scribner's Mag Oct. 428/1 I knowed a tree that old hunters usen to call the Lone Pine sixty year ago.

1924 J. W. Raine Land of Saddle-bags 79 Folks usen to burn out a sort of bowl in a tree stump.

1993 V. Sage Mirror for Larks 140 You know Mr President, my boys and I usen t'thank you were kinda soft, but now we've met you, we think you're tougher'n woodpeckers lips!

d. intransitive. = use v. 22.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > behaviour > customary or habitual mode of behaviour > act habitually [verb (intransitive)]

use?a1425

practise1686

usen1890

1890 A. C. Bickley Midst Surrey Hills II. i. 17 He dunno go as 'ee usen.

a1908 H. C. Hart MS Coll. Ulster Words in M. Traynor Eng. Dial. Donegal (1953) 216 Poke,..to stoop; to go about with a stoop. He pokes more nor he usen.

II. As present stem.

†2. transitive. = use v. 17a. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > behaviour > follow (a course of behaviour) [verb (transitive)] > behave towards

ateec1000

leadc1175

makec1175

farec1230

beleadc1275

dightc1275

beseec1300

servec1300

treatc1374

usea1382

proceeda1393

demean1393

to deal witha1400

treatc1400

to do to ——a1425

entreat?a1425

handc1440

ferea1450

entertain1490

ray1509

to do unto ——?1523

tract1548

deal1573

to carry a strict (also severe, etc.) hand over (also upon, to)c1591

play1597

to comport with1675

to behave towards or to1754

usen1814

1814 J. Byrom Misc. Poems (new ed.) I. 119 The Justices for fear he shid rebel Had usend him as yo done other foke.

a. transitive (in passive). = use v. 20c(a).

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1851 Knickerbocker June 497 Neither Doll nor my friend's beast is usened to hard fare.

1885 Cent. Mag. Apr. 853/2 I were never a person that were usened to dodgin'.

1919 E. B. Knipe & A. A. Knipe Cavalier Maid xxviii. 252 They asked what kind of work I was usened to?

b. intransitive. = use v. 21b.

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1861 ‘G. Eliot’ Silas Marner xxi. 268 I can't think as it usened to smell so.

1885 Cent. Mag. Apr. 854/1 That were your name, or at leastways it usened to be.

1927 R. L. Mason Lure of Great Smokies 238 They usened to be nobody hyar but me an' my woman. We settled hyar.

1978 B. T. Hiser Quare Do's in Appalachia 180 My woman Pop usened to be a witch.

c. transitive. = use v. 20a(b).

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