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I went to professional men's soccer games, the old North American soccer league at that time, and I used to be a ticket holder with my family and family friends. We would go every weekend and I thought it was great, but I just thought of it as recreation, as family fun.
Brandi Chastain

Meaning of "used to" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

PRONUNCIATION OF USED TO

used to  [juːst] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF USED TO

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Used to is a verb and can also act as an adjective.
The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

WHAT DOES USED TO MEAN IN ENGLISH?

English modal verbs

The modal verbs of English are a small class of auxiliary verbs used mostly to express modality. They can be distinguished from other verbs by their defectiveness and by the fact that they do not take the ending -s in the third-person singular. The principal English modal verbs are can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will and would. Certain other verbs are sometimes, but not always, classed as modals; these include ought, had better, and dare and need. Verbs which share some but not all of the characteristics of the principal modals are sometimes called "semimodals".

Definition of used to in the English dictionary

The definition of used to in the dictionary is made familiar with; accustomed to. Other definition of used to is used as an auxiliary to express habitual or accustomed actions, states, etc, taking place in the past but not continuing into the present.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH USED TO


auguste
aʊˈɡuːst
boost
buːst
burnoosed
ˌbɜːˈnuːst
burnoused
ˌbɜːˈnuːst
dooced
duːst
drug-induced
ˌdrʌɡɪnˈdjuːst
enteropneust
ˈɛntərɒpˌnjuːst
langouste
ˈlɒŋɡuːst
mass-produced
ˈmæsprəˈdjuːst
photoinduced
ˌfəʊtəʊɪnˈdjuːst
reduced
rɪˈdjuːst
roost
ruːst
theopneust
ˈθɪəpˌnjuːst
unintroduced
ˌʌnɪntrəˈdjuːst
unproduced
ˌʌnprəˈdjuːst
unreduced
ˌʌnrɪˈdjuːst
unroost
ʌnˈruːst
unseduced
ˌʌnsɪˈdjuːst

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE USED TO

use
use up
use-by date
useability
useable
useableness
useably
used
used-car salesman
usedn´t
useful
usefully
usefulness
useless
uselessly
uselessness
usen´t
Usenet
user
user group

WORDS THAT END LIKE USED TO

according to
be a wake-up to
come home to
come to
come up to
down to
due to
face up to
give rise to
give way to
go to
have half a mind to
in addition to
in order to
look forward to
make up to
put paid to
set one´s hand to
stand to
turn one´s hand to

Synonyms and antonyms of used to in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

SYNONYMS OF «USED TO»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «used to» and belong to the same grammatical category.
synonyms of used to

Translation of «used to» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF USED TO

Find out the translation of used to to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of used to from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «used to» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

习惯/过去常常
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

Acostumbrado a
570 millions of speakers

English

used to
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

अभ्यस्त
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

تستخدم ل
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

использовал к
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

costumava
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

ব্যবহৃত
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

habitué
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

pernah
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

gewöhnt an
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

に使用される
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

사용
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Digunakake kanggo
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

được sử dụng để
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

वापरण्यासाठी
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

alışığım
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

abituato a
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

stosowany do
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

використав до
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

utilizate pentru a
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

που χρησιμοποιούνται για την
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

gebruik te
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

som används för att
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

brukes til å
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of used to

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «USED TO»

The term «used to» is very widely used and occupies the 1.787 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
98
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «used to» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of used to
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «used to».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «USED TO» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «used to» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «used to» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about used to

EXAMPLES

10 QUOTES WITH «USED TO»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word used to.
1
Marina Abramovic
We are used to cleaning the outside house, but the most important house to clean is yourself - your own house - which we never do.
2
Marina Abramovic
I used to have a recurring dream where I was at a party in a country house, surrounded by the same people each evening. Everyone would be singing and dancing and after a while I came to know the people; though, of course, they never really existed.
3
Gary Allan
To me, country music's about life. It's about Monday through Friday. It's the blue-collar, 40-hour week, songs about life. It used to have more of a sound, but I think the heart of that's still the same. It's still American music.
4
Anita Baker
I used to sing at funeral homes for families that didn't have a vocalist. I didn't get paid. I needed to sing.
5
Yasmine Bleeth
As an actor you're used to being the focus of attention.
6
Kate Bush
I wasn't an easy, happy-go-lucky girl because I used to think about everything so much, and I think I probably still do.
7
Meg Cabot
Writing used to be my hobby, but now that it's my job, I have no hobby - except watching TV and laying around the pool reading 'U.S. Weekly.' I have tried many hobbies, such as knitting, Pilates, ballet, yoga, and guitar, but none of them have taken.
8
Julia Cameron
Art used to be made in the name of faith. We made cathedrals, we made stained-glass windows, we made murals.
9
Brandi Chastain
I went to professional men's soccer games, the old North American soccer league at that time, and I used to be a ticket holder with my family and family friends. We would go every weekend and I thought it was great, but I just thought of it as recreation, as family fun.
10
China Chow
I used to be more glamorous.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «USED TO»

Discover the use of used to in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to used to and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It ...
This book makes recommendations for meeting four major challenges currently facing the United States, including globalization, the information technology revolution, chronic deficits, and unbalanced energy consumption.
Thomas L. Friedman, Michael Mandelbaum, 2012
2
I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School
Witty, engaging, entertaining-a book you'll pick up again and again. Author Caroline Taggart discovered two things while researching this book and talking with other people: One, everybody had been to school.
Caroline Taggart, 2010
3
Alaska As It Used to Was
The following pages are primarily about taking you along with me as I introduce you to an Alaskan Experience you will not find offered in brochures or travel folders.
John B. Thompson, 2006
4
The Kind of Friends We Used to Be
Edgar Award–winning novelist Frances O’Roark Dowell explores the shifting terrain of middle-school friendship in this follow-up to the beloved The Secret Language of Girls.
Frances O'Roark Dowell, 2010
5
The World We Used to Live in: Remembering the Powers of the ...
Deloria looks at medicine men, their powers, and the Earth's relation to the cosmos.
Vine Deloria, 2006
6
We Used to Own the Bronx: Memoirs of a Former Debutante
An inside story of privilege, inherited wealth, and the bizarre values and customs of the American upper crust.
Eve Pell, 2013
7
Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday
Anthony has two dollars and three quarters and one dime and seven nickels and eighteen pennies.
Judith Viorst, 2012
8
Truth Is Stranger Than It Used to Be: Biblical Faith in a ...
J. Richard Middleton and Brian J. Walsh offer an introduction, evaluation and response to postmodern culture that comes straight from the heart of the gospel.
J. Richard Middleton, Brian J. Walsh, 1995
9
I Used to Play Piano: For Adults Returning to the Piano
Eleven units organized to progress in difficulty; featuring arrangements of classical music, traditional pieces, and popular and jazz pieces, by various composers.
E. L. Lancaster, Victoria McArthur, 2004
10
I Used to Be Persian: A Comedic Memoir
In I Used to be Persian, "a, um, slightly exaggerated memoir" that his parents developed an anti-coalition towards, Dane offers contentious commentary on his family's—well, to state it nicely—bizarre antics.
Justin Dane, 2011

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «USED TO»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term used to is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Gun Used in Lafayette Louisiana Shooting Was Purchased Legally …
The gun that was used to kill two people and wound nine others in the horrific movie theater shooting in Louisiana was purchased legally in Alabama, police ... «ABC News, Jul 15»
2
'Psycholinguistics' Used to Identify Troubled Employees
Ed Stroz, co-founder of security firm Stroz Friedberg, said psycholinguistics can help companies track changes in employee behavior or mood, and can be used ... «Wall Street Journal, Jun 15»
3
Drones used to capture video of sharks near shore
Technically Incorrect: In California, lifeguards send up quadcopters to find out whether sharks are lurking near the shore. This comes after two shark incidents in ... «CNET, Jun 15»
4
Nintendo used to design Super Mario levels on graph paper
As a child, I was obsessed with video game maps. I would pore over them in old issues of Nintendo Power magazine, and even try to recreate the levels of my ... «Boing Boing, Jun 15»
5
New 'Fantastic Beasts' lead Eddie Redmayne used to be sad he was …
New 'Fantastic Beasts' lead Eddie Redmayne used to be sad he was never a Weasley. By Hoai-Tran Bui June 2, 2015 3:15 pm ... «USA TODAY, Jun 15»
6
Children used to be scared of the dark – now they fear failure
Children used to be scared of the dark – now they fear failure. I can't sincerely tell my children there is nothing to be afraid of in life. But I can say that fear is, ... «The Guardian, May 15»
7
What 23 popular websites used to look like
We found the earliest versions of some of the most visited websites today, like Facebook, Google and Buzzfeed. Here's what the sites looked like then, and what ... «Business Insider, Mar 15»
8
Substance used to poison Litvinenko could only have come from …
The rare radioactive substance used to poison Alexander Litvinenko in London could only have come from Russia, a world-leading expert has told the inquiry ... «The Guardian, Mar 15»
9
Students used to take drugs to get high. Now they take them to get …
“My ex-girlfriend used to say that to me,” says Johnny, another history student. “She was like, 'I don't agree with it. It's unfair.' And then when the pressure was on, ... «The Guardian, Feb 15»
10
Thanksgiving Used to Look a Lot Like Halloween, Except More Racist
Thanksgiving used to look a lot more like Halloween. The practice of dressing up in costumes and asking for candy didn't become common in the U.S. until the ... «The Atlantic, Nov 14»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Used to [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/used-to>. Apr 2024 ».
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