useful

Word family  noun usage use disuse misuse reuse usefulness ≠ uselessness user adjective reusable used ≠ unused disused useful ≠ useless usable ≠ unusable verb use misuse reuse adverb usefully ≠ uselessly

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++use·ful /ˈjuːsfəl/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective  USEFULhelping you to do or get what you want 有用的；有益的 OPP useless useful information 有用的信息 A little Japanese can be really useful. 懂一点日语非常有用。useful for The space under the desk is useful for storing CDs. 书桌下面的空间可以用来存放激光唱片。useful to techniques that could be useful to teachers 对教师可能有用的技巧 Can you come and make yourself useful (=help people to do something)? 你能不能过来帮点忙？ —usefully adverbn COLLOCATIONSnounsuseful information/adviceShe gave me some useful advice.a useful tipTheir website has some useful tips on selling your home.a useful way of doing somethingKeeping lists of the words you learn is a useful way of remembering vocabulary.a useful toolThe Internet is a useful tool for investors.a useful contributionHe played well and made a useful contribution to the team’s performance.verbsfind something usefulDid you find the book useful?prove useful formal (=be useful)This equipment could prove useful in testing babies’ hearing.phrasesit is useful to do somethingIt is useful to practise in front of an audience.come in useful (=be useful)The extra income would come in useful.make yourself useful (=be helpful)Don’t just stand there – make yourself useful!serve a useful purpose/function (=be useful)Sending her to prison would serve no useful purpose. THESAURUSuseful something that is useful makes it easier for you to do something 有用的，有益的He gave me some useful advice. 他给了我一些有用的建议。a useful thing to know 知道了会很有用的事handy informal useful – used especially about something that is convenient and easy to use 〔尤指使用简便的事物〕有用的a handy little booklet 一本有用的小册子The book is full of handy hints. 这本书里都是有用的建议。I always keep old jars – you never know when they might come in handy (=be useful). 我总是留着旧罐子——说不定哪天就能用上。helpful useful because it helps you to do something 有用的；有帮助的This drug can be helpful in treating depression. 这种药对治疗抑郁症有帮助。helpful advice 有用的忠告helpful suggestions 有用的建议of use [not before noun] if someone or something is of use, they are useful for you when you are doing something 有用的I hope you’ll find the book of use. 我希望你觉得这本书有用。He wants to be of use. 他希望自己是个有用的人。worthwhile if doing something is worthwhile, it is useful for you and you benefit from doing it 有用的；值得做的The training was certainly worthwhile. 培训当然有用。a worthwhile experience 有益的经历nIt is worthwhile to start by asking ourselves why people get involved in crime. very useful 非常有用的valuable very useful in helping you do something 有价值的His information was very valuable to the police. 他提供的信息对警方很有价值。The course was a valuable experience for me. 参加这门课程对我来说是一段很宝贵的经历。a valuable contribution 宝贵的贡献invaluable extremely useful in helping you do something 极有用的，极宝贵的His help was invaluable. 他的帮助极有价值。The drug could be invaluable for treating cancer patients. 这种药对于治疗癌症病人可能极有价值。nan invaluable experienceindispensable someone or something that is indispensable is so useful and important that you cannot do something without them 必需的，不可或缺的For walkers, a good compass is indispensable. 对徒步者来说，好的指南针是必备的。He became an indispensable part of the team. 他已成为队中不可或缺的一员。nan indispensable guide to travelling in Italybe great for something informal to be very useful for doing something 对某事物极为有用The bag is great for taking on holiday. 这包度假时很有用。

Examples from the Corpus

useful• For parts, he scrounged around various offices and supply rooms, scavenging what seemed useful.• See page 35 for a list of useful addresses.• The bank gave us a lot of useful advice about starting our own business.• The legal knowledge was useful, and the degree and license another step forward, but practicing law was not his ambition.• Investigators have not found any useful clues in the case.• Often a single chemical reaction is not sufficient to synthesize a useful end-product.• Yes, those ladies had given a useful fillip to his prestige.• Scotch tape is very useful for making quick repairs.• This equipment will prove useful in testing premature babies who we suspect might have hearing problems.• Other useful information is also given at the back of the book.• It is useful to minimize the reminders and lectures.• And a big stick comes in useful too.useful to• They are working to develop technology that is useful to farmers.

use·ful adjective →n COLLOCATIONS1 →THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

or do get want Corpus to what helping you you

useful
use‧ful S1 W1 /ˈjuːsfəl/ adjectivehelping you to do or get what you want
   OPP  useless:
    useful information
    A little Japanese can be really useful.
    useful for
    The space under the desk is useful for storing CDs.
    useful to
    techniques that could be useful to teachers
    Can you come and make yourself useful (=help people to do something)?
—usefully adverb
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ nouns
   ▪ useful information/advice She gave me some useful advice.
   ▪ a useful tip Their website has some useful tips on selling your home.
   ▪ a useful way of doing something Keeping lists of the words you learn is a useful way of remembering vocabulary.
   ▪ a useful tool The Internet is a useful tool for investors.
   ▪ a useful contribution He played well and made a useful contribution to the team’s performance.
■ verbs
   ▪ find something useful Did you find the book useful?
   ▪ prove useful formal (=be useful) This equipment could prove useful in testing babies’ hearing.
■ phrases
   ▪ it is useful to do something It is useful to practise in front of an audience.
   ▪ come in useful (=be useful) The extra income would come in useful.
   ▪ make yourself useful (=be helpful) Don’t just stand there – make yourself useful!
   ▪ serve a useful purpose/function (=be useful) Sending her to prison would serve no useful purpose.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ useful something that is useful makes it easier for you to do something: He gave me some useful advice. | a useful thing to know
   ▪ handy informal useful – used especially about something that is convenient and easy to use: a handy little booklet | The book is full of handy hints. | I always keep old jars – you never know when they might come in handy (=be useful).
   ▪ helpful useful because it helps you to do something: This drug can be helpful in treating depression. | helpful advice | helpful suggestions
   ▪ of use [not before noun] if someone or something is of use, they are useful for you when you are doing something: I hope you’ll find the book of use. | He wants to be of use.
   ▪ worthwhile if doing something is worthwhile, it is useful for you and you benefit from doing it: The training was certainly worthwhile. | a worthwhile experience | It is worthwhile to start by asking ourselves why people get involved in crime.
■ very useful
   ▪ valuable very useful in helping you do something: His information was very valuable to the police. | The course was a valuable experience for me. | a valuable contribution
   ▪ invaluable extremely useful in helping you do something: His help was invaluable. | The drug could be invaluable for treating cancer patients. | an invaluable experience
   ▪ indispensable someone or something that is indispensable is so useful and important that you cannot do something without them: For walkers, a good compass is indispensable. | He became an indispensable part of the team. | an indispensable guide to travelling in Italy
   ▪ be great for something informal to be very useful for doing something: The bag is great for taking on holiday.

🔑 use·fulBrE /ˈjuːsfl/ 🔊NAmE /ˈjuːsfl/ 🔊 adjective🔑 that can help you to do or achieve what you want 有用的；有益的；实用的；有帮助的◆a useful gadget有用的小器具◆~ (to do sth) It can be useful to write a short summary of your argument first. 先把你的论点纲要写下来可能会有帮助。🔊🔊◆~ (to sb) He might be useful to us. 我们也许用得上他。🔊🔊◆~ (for sth/for doing sth) These plants are particularly useful for brightening up shady areas. 这些植物特别有助于让背阴的地方明亮起来。🔊🔊◆Don't just sit watching television— make yourself useful! 别光坐着看电视，帮一下忙吧！🔊🔊◆This information could prove useful. 这条信息往后也许有用。🔊🔊◆Your knowledge of German may come in useful (= be useful in a particular situation). 你的德文知识可能会派上用场。🔊🔊◆Some products can be recycled at the end of their useful life. 有些产品过了有效使用年限后是可以回收再利用的。🔊🔊(BrE, informal) good; of the right standard 好的；合格的 SYN competent ◆He's a very useful player. 他是个很棒的运动员。🔊🔊▸ use·ful·ly BrE /ˈjuːsfəli/ 🔊NAmE /ˈjuːsfəli/ 🔊 adverb◆The money could be more usefully spent on new equipment. 这笔钱用来购置新设备可能会更有价值。🔊🔊