Long-continued practice; customary mode of procedure; custom; habitual use; method.

Customary use or employment, as of a word or phrase in a particular sense or signification.

The number of units or dollars of an inventory item consumed over a period of time. [D04667] QWF Firmly established and generally accepted practice or procedure. The way in which words and phrases are actual ly used (as in a part icular form or sense) in a language community by virtue of preference, convenience, or practice. [D03378] Webster

refers to two very different phenomena. First, it can refer to the way speakers use a language in their lives. There are different kinds of us-age, for example, everyday, informal usage; academic usage; formal us-age, etc. In everyday usage, for example, we may say or hear statements such as, “someone left their key on the table,” or “awesome, dude,” while the same meanings in more formal usage may be given as, “someone left his or her key on the table,” or “that is quite excellent, my friend.” More narrowly, “usage” refers to what many people consider “good grammar”: using lay and lie correctly, not saying ain’t, avoiding double negatives. In this latter sense, usage represents the linguistic equivalent of good manners.

the way in which the native language or dialect of a speech community is actually used by its members.

refers to the way native speakers of a language actually use that language; not rule driven.

In rhetorical studies, the ways in which language is commonly used in speaking and writing.

refers to the customary rules that govern written and spoken language. Vantage