"Could use to [infinitive]"

[Douglas G. Wilson]

I'm familiar with "could use" meaning something like "want[s]" or
"need[s]" or "could benefit from": e.g., "I sure could use a beer" or
"My house could use a paint job" (or "My house could use [a/some]
painting").

Recently a correspondent has asked about "could use to [infinitive]" in
this sense. E.g., instead of "I could use a break" one might say "I
could use to take a break" (meaning approx. "I want to take a break").
[I suppose one might could also say "My house could use to be painted",
etc.]

I don't think I'm familiar with this usage. I do find examples on-line.
Is it regional?

[Note also that this usage provides another example of ostensible "to
be/get" elision parallel to "need/want/etc. washed": instead of "My car
could use to be washed" (unfamiliar to me), a Pittsburgh or Midland
speaker could say "My car could use washed" ... I do believe I've heard
this construction and  examples are indeed found on-line (e.g., search
<<"could use cleaned">>).]

-- Doug Wilson

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org