Usé

Usé is a French word that functions as both the masculine singular past participle of the verb user and as an adjective meaning worn, worn-out, or used. As a verb form, it appears in compound tenses such as J’ai usé mes chaussures (I wore out my shoes). As an adjective, it describes objects or people that have been worn down through use or the passage of time, for example des vêtements usés (worn clothes) or une voiture usée (a worn-out car).

Etymology: Usé comes from the verb user, meaning to wear away or to use. The verb itself is derived from Old French and ultimately from Latin usus, meaning use.

Usage notes: The forms are masculine singular usé, feminine singular usée, masculine plural usés, and feminine plural usées. With the auxiliary avoir, past participle agreement depends on placement of the direct object: Je les ai usées (I wore them out) when the object precedes the verb; J’ai usé mes chaussures (I wore out my shoes) when the object follows. As an adjective, usé agrees with the noun it modifies, e.g., un livre usé, des vêtements usés. Usé is also used metaphorically to describe fatigue, obsolescence, or excessive use, as in un esprit usé or un système usé.

Related terms: usure refers to wear and tear (and also to usury in financial contexts), while usurier denotes a usurer. The noun usure is common in both everyday and technical French, distinguishing physical wear from financial exploitation.

In usage, phrases such as usé jusqu’à la corde emphasize extreme wear or overuse and are widely understood in both literary and colloquial registers.