INDEX:
1. to be used to something
2. something that you are used to
3. to gradually become used to something
4. to get used to a new job or way of life
5. to be used to something difficult or unpleasant
6. not used to something
7. something that you are not used to
RELATED WORDS
used to do something in the past : ↑ PAST (3)
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1. to be used to something
▷ be used to /biː ˈjuːst tuː/ [verb phrase]
if you are used to something, you have often done it or experienced it before, so it does not seem strange, new, or difficult to you :
▪ At first Omar hated the rain in England, but he’s used to it now.
▪ The car breaks down so often, I suppose I should be used to it by now.
be used to doing something
▪ She grew up on a farm, so she’s used to getting up early.
▪ My grandfather was used to having everything done for him.
▷ be accustomed to /biː əˈkʌstəmd tuː/ [verb phrase] formal
to be used to something, especially because it is a normal part of your life :
▪ Americans are much more accustomed to computer technology these days.
be accustomed to doing something
▪ They were already accustomed to waiting, so no one complained.
▪ A few of the men in the office weren’t accustomed to taking orders from women.
▷ be/feel at home with /biː, ˌfiːl ət ˈhəʊm wɪð/ [verb phrase]
to be so used to something that you feel comfortable and happy with it, especially because you have learned how to do it well :
▪ Jim has lived in Tokyo for 20 years, so he is perfectly at home with Japanese customs.
▪ Practise using the computer until you feel at home with the mouse and keyboard.
2. something that you are used to
▷ familiar /fəˈmɪliəʳ/ [adjective]
a familiar place, idea, situation etc is one that you are used to and that you know well :
▪ It was good to be back in familiar surroundings.
▪ We heard the familiar sound of coyotes in the distance.
familiar to
▪ This kind of problem will be familiar to many married couples.
old familiar
▪ That morning she heard an old familiar voice on the kitchen radio.
that familiar something
▪ Robbie got that familiar goofy expression on his face as I told him the story.
3. to gradually become used to something
▷ get used to /ˌget ˈjuːst tuː/ [verb phrase]
▪ Once you get used to a routine, it’s hard to change.
▪ Paul had finally gotten used to Heidi’s mood swings.
get used to (doing) something
▪ Mary never really got used to living on her own after her husband died.
▪ It took me a while to get used to the casual atmosphere in the office.
▷ become/grow accustomed to /bɪˌkʌm, ˌgrəʊ əˈkʌstəmd tuː/ [verb phrase] formal written
to get used to something :
▪ After a while Edward’s eyes grew accustomed to the dark.
▪ Living so near the airport, they’ve grown accustomed to the sound of planes overhead.
become/grow accustomed to doing something
▪ She had become accustomed to cooking for everyone in the house.
▪ Larry remained completely relaxed - he was accustomed to dealing with difficult customers.
▷ adjust to /əˈdʒʌst tuː/ [verb phrase]
to get gradually used to a new situation, by changing your attitudes or the way you do things :
▪ It took us a while to adjust to the tropical climate.
▪ Some of the staff found it hard to adjust to all the changes in technology and working methods.
adjust to doing something
▪ Kids need help to adjust to having a new baby in the house.
▷ adapt to /əˈdæpt tuː/ [verb phrase]
to gradually change your behaviour and attitudes, so that you get used to a new situation and can deal with it effectively :
▪ Slowly the country is adapting to the new market economy.
adapt to doing something
▪ She adapted remarkably well to eating a limited diet, and she’s lost a great deal of weight.
▪ After living in a house with a garden, it’s hard to adapt to living in a flat.
▷ acclimatize/become acclimatized also acclimatise/become acclimatised British also acclimate/become acclimated American /əˈklaɪmətaɪz, bɪˌkʌm əˈklaɪmətaɪzd, əˈklaɪmətǁˈækləmeɪt, bɪˌkʌm əˈklaɪmətə̇dǁ-ˈækləmeɪ-/ [intransitive verb/verb phrase]
to get used to a new place or a different type of weather :
▪ When first arriving in the Himalayas, mountaineers must give themselves time to acclimatize.
acclimatize/become acclimatized to
▪ As the immigrants became acclimatized to life in America, they abandoned some of their old traditions.
▪ I flew to Hong Kong a day early to give myself a chance to acclimatise to the time difference.
get acclimatized/acclimatised/acclimated
▪ The team wants to have a few practices to get acclimated to the ball park.
acclimatize/acclimatise/acclimate yourself
▪ After a while, if you acclimatise yourself to the heat, you can get by with two canteens of water a day.
4. to get used to a new job or way of life
▷ settle in /ˌsetl ˈɪn/ [intransitive phrasal verb]
to gradually get used to a new place or a new way of life, so that you feel relaxed and confident :
▪ Paul never really settled in at his last school.
▪ We normally give new employees a little while to settle in before we overload them with responsibilities.
settle into something
▪ It didn’t take Charlie long to settle into his new job.
▪ Within a month she had settled into a moderate exercise regimen.
▷ find your feet /ˌfaɪnd jɔːʳ ˈfiːt/ [verb phrase]
to get used to a new type of work or a new way of life, especially one that is difficult at first and takes time to learn :
▪ I asked Susie if I could stay with her till I found my feet.
▪ This organization’s role is to help refugees find their feet when they arrive in the host country.
▷ find your way around /ˌfaɪnd jɔːʳ weɪ əˈraʊnd/ [verb phrase]
to get used to a new place where you have come to live or work, especially so that you know where everything is :
▪ Whenever I move into a new neighborhood I like to spend a couple of weeks just finding my way around.
find your way around something
▪ The university campus is quite large and it takes new students a while to find their way around it.
5. to be used to something difficult or unpleasant
▷ be used to /biː ˈjuːst tuː/ [verb phrase]
▪ Living so far north, they’re used to the very cold winters.
be used to doing something
▪ It’s a small company, so everyone is used to working late and on weekends.
▷ be hardened to /biː ˈhɑːʳdnd tʊː/ [verb phrase]
to have become used to something unpleasant or shocking because you have seen or experienced it many times before :
▪ The relief workers are hardened to the sight of people dying from starvation.
be hardened to doing something
▪ Violence is stressful even to those who are hardened to seeing it every day.
hardened [adjective only before noun]
▪ Many of the soldiers are hardened veterans of the war in Afghanistan.
▷ be no stranger to /biː nəʊ ˈstreɪndʒəʳ tuː/ [verb phrase]
to be used to sad or unpleasant situations because you have experienced them many times before :
▪ Amanda is no stranger to sorrow - both of her parents died this past year.
▪ As a writer he is no stranger to controversy.
▷ be inured to /biː ɪˈnjʊəʳd tuː/ [verb phrase]
to be used to something difficult or unpleasant so that you are able to bear it, because it has happened so much or for so long - used in formal or literary contexts :
▪ Diego looked like a man who was inured to disappointment.
▪ After years in politics, Gramm seems to be inured to criticism.
6. not used to something
▷ not be used to /nɒt biː ˈjuːst tuː/ [verb phrase]
▪ I’m not used to cold weather.
▪ She’s still not used to the new phone system.
not be used to doing something
▪ We’re not used to losing, so the defeat came as a surprise.
▪ Like most jazz musicians, Dan wasn’t used to getting up so early in the morning.
▷ not be accustomed to /nɒt biː əˈkʌstəmd tuː/ [verb phrase] formal
to not be used to something, especially because it is not a normal part of your life :
▪ Sorry, but I need to sit down and rest - I’m not accustomed to the heat.
▪ Helen wasn’t accustomed to such a big breakfast.
not be accustomed to doing something
▪ Mr Tench was not accustomed to being treated with disrespect.
▷ unaccustomed/unused to /ˌʌnəˈkʌstəmd, ʌnˈjuːst tuː/ [verb phrase]
to be not used to something new or different, especially so that you find it unpleasant or hard to accept :
▪ Coming from the country, I was entirely unused to city traffic.
▪ My mother was unaccustomed to the hard physical work that was expected of her.
be unaccustomed/unused to doing something
▪ He was a successful man, unused to sitting still.
7. something that you are not used to
▷ unfamiliar /ˌʌnfəˈmɪliəʳ◂/ [adjective]
an unfamiliar place, idea, situation etc is one that you are not used to or do not know much about :
▪ Driving on the left-hand side of the road was unfamiliar and a little frightening.
▪ She needs your support even more now that she’s in an unfamiliar environment.
▪ The army uses satellites to help soldiers navigate unfamiliar terrain.
unfamiliar to
▪ Some of these expressions may be unfamiliar to your students.
▷ strange /streɪndʒ/ [adjective only before noun]
a strange country, food, custom etc is one that you are not used to because you have never been there before, experienced it before etc, and this may make you feel anxious :
▪ The strange food made her ill.
▪ He was a little nervous about moving to a strange country where he didn’t know anyone.