Meaning and origin of “hustle, score, use”

Question

In a movie about drug addiction they used this combination of words:

hustle, score, use

They said it was always the same pattern - but what does it mean and where does it come from?

Answer 1

All three are slang for the life of an addict:

• hustle: do what you have to to get some money. It could involve honest work, stealing, begging, borrowing, whatever it takes
• score: find a drug dealer and buy some drugs
• use: take drugs

Answer 2

Q: ... and where does it come from?

It's not a set phrase but three individual words, the first two of which are slang.

• hustle: "Sense of "to get in a quick, illegal manner" is 1840 in Amer.Eng.; that of "to sell goods aggressively" is 1887." (Online Etymology Dictionary)

• score: "to find and purchase drugs. [US, (1926): ERH: 1982, DWM: 1936, BVB: 1942, D&B: 1970c, ..." (The Slang and Jargon of Drugs and Drink)

• use: "mid-13c., from O.Fr. user "use, employ, practice," from V.L. *usare "use," frequentative form of pp. stem of L. uti "to use," in Old L. oeti "use, employ, exercise, perform," of unknown origin. Replaced O.E. brucan (see brook (v.))." (Online Etymology Dictionary)