Nodes textures for Cycles nodes materials?

Is it possible to use nodes textures in Cycles material nodes?

I know this question is going to confuse people who’ve never used nodes textures, but I can’t yet link to clarify :frowning:

I would like to use nodes textures for a few things-- use of time curve as an input, use of the same texture for materials and for a displacement modifier, but can’t figure out how to get a nodes texture into a Cycles nodes material.