I. MODAL USES AND PHRASES
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If something ~ to be done or ~ to be the case, it was done regularly in the past or was the case in the past.
People ~ to come and visit him every day...
He ~ to be one of the professors at the School of Education...
I feel more compassion and less anger than I ~ to.
PHRASE
2.
If something ~ not to be done or ~ not to be the case, it was not done in the past or was not the case in the past. The forms did not use to and did not ~ to are also found, especially in spoken English.
Borrowing ~ not to be recommended...
At some point kids start doing things they didn’t use to do. They get more independent...
He didn’t ~ to like anyone walking on the lawns in the back garden.
PHRASE: with neg
3.
If you are ~ to something, you are familiar with it because you have done it or experienced it many times before.
I’m ~ to having my sleep interrupted...
It doesn’t frighten them. They’re ~ to it.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n/-ing
4.
If you get ~ to something or someone, you become familiar with it or get to know them, so that you no longer feel that the thing or person is unusual or surprising.
This is how we do things here. You’ll soon get ~ to it...
He took some getting ~ to...
PHRASE: V inflects
II. ADJECTIVE USES
1.
A ~ object is dirty or spoiled because it has been ~, and usually needs to be thrown away or washed.
...a ~ cotton ball stained with makeup...
He took a ~ envelope bearing an Irish postmark.
? un~
ADJ: usu ADJ n
2.
A ~ car has already had one or more owners.
Would you buy a ~ car from this man?...
His only big purchase has been a ~ Ford.
= second-hand
ADJ: usu ADJ n