abuse
to use wrongly or improperly; misuse: to abuse one's authority.
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.
to commit sexual assault upon.
Obsolete. to deceive or mislead.
wrong or improper use; misuse: the abuse of privileges.
harshly or coarsely insulting language: The officer heaped abuse on his men.
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.
Idioms about abuse
abuse oneself, to masturbate.
Origin of abuse
1synonym study For abuse
Other words for abuse
Opposites for abuse
Other words from abuse
- a·bus·a·ble [uh-byoo-zuh-buhl], /əˈbyu zə bəl/, adjective
- a·bus·er, noun
- an·ti·a·buse, adjective
- o·ver·a·buse, noun, verb (used with object), o·ver·a·bused, o·ver·a·bus·ing.
- un·a·bus·a·ble, adjective
- un·a·bused, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for abuse
to use incorrectly or improperly; misuse
to maltreat, esp physically or sexually
to speak insultingly or cruelly to; revile
(reflexive) to masturbate
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
Origin of abuse
1Derived forms of abuse
- abuser, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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