[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/reuse/)

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# reuse

verb (reuse, reuses, reused, reusing); noun (reuse — uncountable)

«reuse» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To reuse something means to use it again instead of throwing it away, either for the same job or for a new one. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reuse/#m1)
2. Reuse is the act of using things again. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reuse/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science and everyday life, reuse is one of the «three Rs»: reduce, reuse, recycle; reusing saves materials and energy and makes less rubbish. Examples: a refillable water bottle, jars for storing buttons, the back of paper for drawing. Reuse is different from recycling, which breaks a thing down to make new material. Phrases: reuse and recycle, reusable bag, reuse paper.

### Examples

- We reuse glass jars to keep pencils and crayons in. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reuse/#x1)
- Reduce, reuse, recycle! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reuse/#x2)
- Mum reuses shopping bags every week. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reuse/#x3)
- I reused an old shoebox to make a diorama. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reuse/#x4)
- Do not reuse a plastic bottle for drinks too many times — wash it well. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reuse/#x5)
- Reusing things means less rubbish goes to the landfill. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reuse/#x6)
- We drew on the back of the paper to reuse it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reuse/#x7)

### Note

Regular verb: reused, reusing (one word, no hyphen today; older «re-use»). Adjective: reusable. Trap: reuse is not recycle — reusing keeps the thing as it is; recycling turns it into raw material. Some things are not safe to reuse, such as single-use masks, needles or plastic cutlery meant for once.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «reuse» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reuse/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«reuse» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/reuse.html) on Mova free.