abuse

abuse: —abusable /euh byooh"zeuh beuhl/, adj. —abuser, n.

v. /euh byoohz"/; n. /euh byoohs"/, v., abused, abusing, n.

v.t.

1. to use wrongly or improperly; misuse: to abuse one's authority.

2. to treat in a harmful, injurious, or offensive way: to abuse a horse; to abuse one's eyesight.

3. to speak insultingly, harshly, and unjustly to or about; revile; malign.

4. to commit sexual assault upon.

5. Obs. to deceive or mislead.

6. abuse oneself, to masturbate.

n.

7. wrong or improper use; misuse: the abuse of privileges.

8. harshly or coarsely insulting language: The officer heaped abuse on his men.

9. bad or improper treatment; maltreatment: The child was subjected to cruel abuse.

10. a corrupt or improper practice or custom: the abuses of a totalitarian regime.

11. rape or sexual assault.

12. Obs. deception.

[1400-50; (v.) late ME abusen < MF abuser, v. deriv. of abus < L abusus misuse, wasting, equiv. to abut(i) to use up, misuse (ab- AB- + uti to USE) + -tus suffix of v. action; (n.) late ME abus < MF abus or L abusus]

Syn. 1. misapply. 2. ill-use, maltreat, injure, harm, hurt. 3. vilify, vituperate, berate, scold; slander, defame, calumniate, traduce. 7. misapplication. 8. slander, aspersion. ABUSE, CENSURE, INVECTIVE all mean strongly expressed disapproval. ABUSE implies an outburst of harsh and scathing words against another (often one who is defenseless): abuse directed against an opponent. CENSURE implies blame, adverse criticism, or hostile condemnation: severe censure of acts showing bad judgment. INVECTIVE applies to strong but formal denunciation in speech or print, often in the public interest: invective against graft.

Ant. 3, 8. praise.

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Synonyms:

Misuse, misemploy, misapply, pervert, prostitute, desecrate, dishonor, profane, pollute, make an ill use of, deceive, impose on, betray, cajole, seduce by cajolery, Misapplication, misuse, misemployment, dishonor, dishonoring, profanation, prostitution, desecration, pollution, perversion, ill-use / Maltreat, harm, injure, hurt, ill-treat, ill-use, Maltreatment, outrage, ill-treatment, bad treatment / Revile, reproach, vilify, slander, traduce, defame, asperse, inveigh against, carp at, malign, blacken, disparage, berate, rate, betongue, upbraid, calumniate, lampoon, satirize, lash, pasquinade, rail at, sneer at, speak ill of, calumniate, treat with contumely, pour contumely on, Corrupt practice, malfeasance, malversation / Violate, outrage, ravish, deflour, Vituperation, railing, reviling, vilification, defamation, aspersion, disparagement, rating, upbraiding, contumely, obloquy, opprobrium, insult, scurrility, ribaldry, foul invective, rude reproach, billingsgate

Look at other dictionaries:

abuse — 1 /ə byüz/ vt abused, abus·ing 1: to put to a use other than the one intended: as a: to put to a bad or unfair use abusing the powers of office b: to put to improper or excessive use abuse narcotics … Law dictionary
abuse — vb Abuse, misuse, mistreat, maltreat, ill treat, outrage all denote to use or treat a person or thing improperly or wrongfully. Abuse and misuse are capable of wider use than the others, for they do not invariably imply either deliberateness or… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Abuse — A*buse , n. [F. abus, L. abusus, fr. abuti. See {Abuse}, v. t.] 1. Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
abuse — noun. This has developed a sinister violent meaning, ‘maltreatment or (especially sexual) assault of a person’, and is now widely familiar in the specific context of child abuse, of which various aspects include physical abuse, domestic abuse,… … Modern English usage
Abuse — Éditeur Origin Systems, Electronic Arts Développeur Crack dot Com … Wikipédia en Français
Abuse — A*buse , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Abused}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Abusing}.] [F. abuser; L. abusus, p. p. of abuti to abuse, misuse; ab + uti to use. See {Use}.] 1. To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use for a wrong… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
abuse — Ⅰ. abuse UK US /əˈbjuːs/ noun ► [C or U] a situation in which a person uses something in a bad or wrong way, especially for their own advantage or pleasure: »The former president has been accused of corruption and abuse of power. »The politician… … Financial and business terms
abuse — [n1] wrong use corruption, crime, debasement, delinquency, desecration, exploitation, fault, injustice, misapplication, misconduct, misdeed, mishandling, mismanage, misuse, offense, perversion, prostitution, sin, wrong, wrongdoing; concept 156… … New thesaurus
abusé — abusé, ée (a bu zé, zée) 1° Part. passé. Trompé. Abusé par de vaines promesses. Abusé sur l état des choses. Abusé et dépouillé. • Nous étions bien abusés, PASC. Prov. 11. • En vain du sang des rois dont je suis l oppresseur, Les peuples… … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
Abuse Me — may refer to:ongs* Abuse Me (Silverchair Song) a single by Silverchair from their 1997 album Freak Show. * Abuse Me a bonus song by Sevendust from their 2007 album Alpha … Wikipedia
abuse — abuse; dis·abuse; … English syllables

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