About The Word Abuse
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Learn about the word Abuse to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Abuse definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.
Abuse
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Abuse Definition And Meaning |
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What's The Definition Of Abuse?
[n] cruel or inhumane treatment
[n] improper or excessive use [n] a rude expression intended to offend or hurt; "when a student made a stupid mistake he spared them no abuse"; "they yelled insults at the visiting team" [v] change the inherent purpose or function of something; "Don't abuse the system"; "The director of the factory misused the funds intended for the health care of his workers" [v] use foul or abusive language towards; "The actress abused the policeman who gave her a parking ticket"; "The angry mother shouted at the teacher" [v] treat badly; "This boss abuses his workers" Synonyms | Synonyms for Abuse: blackguard | clapperclaw | contumely | ill-treat | ill-treatment | ill-usage | ill-use | insult | maltreat | maltreatment | mistreat | misuse | misuse | pervert | revilement | shout | vilification Related Terms | Find terms related to Abuse: abuse of office | addiction | afflict | aggrieve | assail | assailing | assault | atrocity | attack | bark at | batter | befoul | befoulment | belittle | berate | berating | betongue | betray | betrayal | bewitch | billingsgate | bitter words | blacken | blackening | blackguard | blaspheme | bleed | bleed white | blight | bruise | buffet | call names | calumniate | calumniation | calumny | catachresis | censure | condemn | contumely | conversion | convert | corrupt | corrupt administration | corruption | criminal assault | crucify | curse | cursing | cuss out | damage | damn | debase | debasement | debauch | debauchment | deceive | decry | defalcate | defalcation | defamation | defame | defile | defilement | defloration | deflower | deflowering | dependence | deprave | deprecate | depreciate | derogate | desecrate | desecration | despoil | despoilment | destroy | detract from | diatribe | disadvantage | discount | disparage | dispraise | disserve | distress | diversion | divert | do a mischief | do evil | do ill | do violence to | do wrong | do wrong by | do wrong to | doom | drain | embezzle | embezzlement | envenom | epithet | epithetize | execrate | execration | exploit | fault | force | foul | fouling | fulminate against | get into trouble | harass | hard words | harm | hex | hurt | ill use | ill-treat | ill-treatment | ill-usage | ill-use | impair | impose | impose upon | imprecation | infect | injure | injury | insult | invective | jaw | jawing | jeremiad | jinx | knock about | lambaste | lead astray | libel | load with reproaches | make use of | maladminister | maladministration | malediction | malfeasance | malign | maligning | malpractice | maltreat | maltreatment | malversation | manhandle | manipulate | mar | masturbation | maul | menace | mess up | milk | minimize | misapplication | misapply | misappropriate | misappropriation | misconduct | misemploy | misemployment | misfeasance | mishandle | mishandling | mislead | mismanage | mismanagement | mistreat | mistreatment | misusage | misuse | molest | molestation | mud | objurgate | objurgation | obloquy | onslaught | oppress | opprobrium | outrage | peculate | peculation | persecute | perversion | pervert | philippic | pilfer | pilfering | play havoc with | play hob with | play on | poison | pollute | pollution | poor stewardship | prejudice | presume upon | priapism | profanation | profane | profanity | prostitute | prostitution | rag | rail at | railing | rape | rate | rating | ravage | rave against | ravish | ravishment | rebuke | reproach | revile | revilement | reviling | rough | rough up | ruin | savage | scathe | scold | scolding | screed | scurrility | seduce | seducement | seduction | self-abuse | sexual assault | slander | soil | spoil | stroke | suck dry | sully | swear | swear at | swearing | taint | take advantage of | threaten | thunder against | tirade | tongue-lash | tongue-lashing | torment | torture | traduce | upbraid | upbraiding | use | use ill | vilification | vilify | violate | violation | violence | vituperate | vituperation | work on | work upon | wound | wreak havoc on | write off | wrong | yell at | yelp at See Also | assail | assault | attack | billingsgate | child abuse | child neglect | cruelty | curse | cut | discourtesy | disrespect | do by | drug abuse | employment | exercise | expend | fracture | habit | handle | inhuman treatment | invective | kick around | lash out | low blow | mistreatment | persecution | rail | revile | round | scurrility | slang | snipe | stinger | substance abuse | take in vain | treat | usage | use | use | utilisation | utilization | vilify | vitriol | vituperate | vituperation Abuse In Webster's Dictionary \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 purpose or end; to pervert;
as, to abuse inherited gold; to make an excessive use of;
as, to abuse one's authority.
This principle (if one may so abuse the word) shoots
rapidly into popularity. --Froude.
2. To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish
or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to
abuse one's powers, one's patience.
3. To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage.
The . . . tellers of news abused the general.
--Macaulay.
4. To dishonor. ``Shall flight abuse your name?'' --Shak.
5. To violate; to ravish. --Spenser.
6. To deceive; to impose on. [Obs.]
Their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist
cloud, and abused by a double object. --Jer. Taylor.
Syn: To maltreat; injure; revile; reproach; vilify;
vituperate; asperse; traduce; malign.
\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 language. Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power. --Madison. 2. Physical ill treatment; injury. ``Rejoice . . . at the abuse of Falstaff.'' --Shak. 3. A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service. Abuse after disappeared without a struggle.. --Macaulay. 4. Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling. The two parties, after exchanging a good deal of abuse, came to blows. --Macaulay. 5. Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child. [Obs.] Or is it some abuse, and no such thing? --Shak. {Abuse of distress} (Law), a wrongful using of an animal or chattel distrained, by the distrainer. Syn: Invective; contumely; reproach; scurrility; insult; opprobrium. Usage: {Abuse}, {Invective}. Abuse is generally prompted by anger, and vented in harsh and unseemly words. It is more personal and coarse than invective. Abuse generally takes place in private quarrels; invective in writing or public discussions. Invective may be conveyed in refined language and dictated by indignation against what is blameworthy. --C. J. Smith. |
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