Emily Dickinson Lexicon

U'SAGE, n. [s as z. Fr. from user, to use. See Use.]

1. Treatment; an action or series of actions performed by one person toward another, or which directly affect him; as, good usage; ill usage; hard usage. Gentle usage will often effect what harsh usage will not. The elephant may be governed by mild usage.
2. Use, or long continued use; custom; practice. Uninterrupted usage for a long time, or immemorial usage constitutes prescription. Custom is a local usage; prescription is a personal usage. In language, usage is the foundation of all rules. Of things once received and confirmed by use, long usage is a law sufficient. Hooker.
3. Manners; behavior. [Obs.] Spenser.