use

The word centers on the concept of utility—the application of a resource to achieve a goal. In its most neutral sense, it is the functional act of employing a tool or method. When applied to people, the connotation shifts sharply toward the negative. It implies a parasitic relationship where one person's value is reduced to a mere instrument for another's gain, stripping away human agency and dignity. As a noun, it often oscillates between the physical act of operation (e.g., 'wear and tear from use') and the abstract concept of utility or benefit (e.g., 'of no use').