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a·buse ( -by z )tr.v. a·bused, a·bus·ing, a·bus·es 1. To use wrongly or improperly; misuse: abuse alcohol; abuse a privilege. 2. To hurt or injure by maltreatment; ill-use. 3. To force sexual activity on; rape or molest. 4. To assail with contemptuous, coarse, or insulting words; revile. 5. Obsolete To deceive or trick. n. ( -by s )1. Improper use or handling; misuse: abuse of authority; drug abuse. 2. Physical maltreatment: spousal abuse. 3. Sexual abuse. 4. An unjust or wrongful practice: a government that commits abuses against its citizens. 5. Insulting or coarse language: verbal abuse. Idiom: abuse oneself Vulgar To masturbate.
[Middle English abusen, from Old French abuser, from abus, improper use, from Latin ab sus, past participle of ab t , to misuse : ab-, away; see ab-1 + t , to use.]
a·bus er n. Synonyms: abuse, misuse, mistreat, ill-treat, maltreat These verbs mean to treat wrongfully or harmfully. Abuse applies to injurious or improper treatment: "We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us" (Aldo Leopold). Misuse stresses incorrect or unknowledgeable handling: "How often misused words generate misleading thoughts" (Herbert Spencer). Mistreat, ill-treat, and maltreat all share the sense of inflicting injury, often intentionally: "I had seen many more patients die from being mistreated for consumption than from consumption itself" (Earl of Lytton). The army had orders not to ill-treat the prisoners. "When we misuse [a language other than our native language], we are in fact trying to reduce its element of foreignness. We let ourselves maltreat it as though it naturally belonged to us" (Manchester Guardian Weekly). |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Adj. | 1. | abused - used improperly or excessively especially drugs; "an abused substance"misused - used incorrectly or carelessly or for an improper purpose; "misused words are often laughable but one weeps for misused talents" | | 2. | abused - subjected to cruel treatment; "an abused wife"unabused - not physically abused; treated properly |
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