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abuse
[ verb uh-byooz; noun uh-byoos ]
verb (used with object)
- to use wrongly or improperly; misuse:
to abuse one's authority.
Synonyms: misapply
- to treat in a harmful, injurious, or offensive way:
to abuse a horse; to abuse one's eyesight.
- to speak insultingly, harshly, and unjustly to or about; revile; malign.
Synonyms: scold, berate, vituperate, vilify, traduce, calumniate, defame, slander
Antonyms: praise
- to commit sexual assault upon.
- Obsolete. to deceive or mislead.
noun
- wrong or improper use; misuse:
the abuse of privileges.
Synonyms: misapplication
- harshly or coarsely insulting language:
The officer heaped abuse on his men.
Antonyms: praise
- bad or improper treatment; maltreatment:
The child was subjected to cruel abuse.
- a corrupt or improper practice or custom:
the abuses of a totalitarian regime.
- rape or sexual assault.
- Obsolete. deception.
abuse
verb
- to use incorrectly or improperly; misuse
- to maltreat, esp physically or sexually
- to speak insultingly or cruelly to; revile
- reflexive to masturbate
noun
- improper, incorrect, or excessive use; misuse
- maltreatment of a person; injury
- insulting, contemptuous, or coarse speech
- an evil, unjust, or corrupt practice
- See child abuse
- archaic.a deception
Derived Forms
- aˈbuser, noun
Other Words From
- a·bus·a·ble [uh, -, byoo, -z, uh, -b, uh, l], adjective
- a·buser noun
- anti·a·buse adjective
- over·a·buse noun verb (used with object) overabused overabusing
- una·busa·ble adjective
- una·bused adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of abuse1
Idioms and Phrases
- abuse oneself, to masturbate.
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
These were cops who had worked the protests and suffered the accompanying verbal taunts and abuse.
You get these high-profile people that go into prison, and the staff abuse their authority.
When they get someone high profile, like the governor [Bob McDonnell] or like Teresa, they will abuse their positions.
Perhaps one of the most egregious examples is the abuse of civil asset forfeiture laws.
It needs to be said: bigotry in the name of religion is still bigotry; child abuse wrapped in a Bible verse is still child abuse.
Quaint old Burton in his "Anatomy of Melancholy," recognizes the virtues of the plant while he anathematizes its abuse.
He shan't marry me without your consent, so don't be angry and abuse us all; for which you will be sorry an hour hence.
Notwithstanding, they bear with much patience a great deal of abuse from unkind masters.
This abuse, as the years went on, instead of diminishing grew in strength if not in grace.
On the other hand directors are not permitted to abuse their power; they must act in good faith.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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