usage

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)Habit, practice.

   “[S]everal young people sung sacred music in the churchyard at night, which it seems is an usage here.”

   “Mrs. Wickam, agreeably to the usage of some ladies in her condition, pursued […] the subject, without any compunction.”

2. (uncountable)Habit, practice.
3. (countable, uncountable)Utilization.

   “Demand continues to increase, and in 2023-24 recorded usage was higher than pre-COVID, with 384,000 passenger journeys in total (of which 247,000 were at the town location). At the other end of the branch, Truro station had usage of 1.19 million, of which 255,000 were recorded as interchange passengers.”

4. (countable, uncountable)Utilization.

   “In descriptive fact, word senses are established by usage.”

5. (countable, uncountable)Utilization.

   “usage prescriptions”

   “In prescriptive ideal, writers will optimize their usage.”

6. (archaic, countable, uncountable)Utilization.

   “Whose sharp provokement them incenst so sore, / That both were bent t'avenge his usage base […]”

   “Satisfy a child by a constant course of your care and kindness, that you perfectly love him, and he may by degrees be accustom'd to bear very painful and rough usage from you, without flinching or complaining”