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to critique the use of

to critique the use of

7.7
To look carefully at how words or ideas are used and judge them
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : criticar el uso de
  • The professor often critiques the use of metaphors in students’ essays.

Examples

  • She is critiquing the use of gendered language in modern literature.

  • Several linguists have critiqued the use of jargon in medical communication.

  • Let's critique the use of this method!

  • I can critique the use of this term.

  • Several linguists have critiqued the use of jargon in medical communication.

  • She is critiquing the use of gendered language in modern literature.

  • The professor often critiques the use of metaphors in students’ essays.

Synonyms

to review
vsto critique the use of
  • Literature
252 2.9

To examine something carefully and give an opinion about its quality

focuses on the manner or context of use rather than overall quality
to critique
vsto critique the use of
48 6.7

To give an opinion about a work such as a book or film to show its good and bad points

focuses on how something is used and its context

Antonyms

1.3

To believe or agree that something is true

How Critical

to critique the use of
7.7
to challenge
  • Formal
552 4.3

Surface Forms

critique the use of infinitive
critiqued the use of past participle
critiquing the use of present participle
critiques the use of third person singular

Morphology

critique + the + use + of

The meaning is directly compositional: 'critique' means to evaluate and 'the use of' refers to the purpose or manner something is employed, so a learner who knows these words can infer 'to analyze/evaluate how something is used.' The structure is a regular verb + noun phrase combination with no idiomatic shift, and the logic is cross-linguistically common, so it is immediately interpretable by learners who know the constituents.

Etymology

The phrase critique the use of gives the image of a careful reader or teacher checking how something is used and pointing out good or bad points, because critique means to judge and use means 'how something is used'. So, it means to 'analyze and evaluate' the way something is used.