ill-use
verb (used with object)
to treat badly, unjustly, cruelly, etc.
had ill-used
-
past perfectof ill-use.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
John Loveday was present to her mind all night as an ill-used man; and yet she could not own that she had ill-used him.
From The Trumpet-Major by Thomas Hardy
About this time, the Quauhtitlans again arrived in our quarters, whom, as we saw above, the Mexicans had ill-used for having formed an alliance with us.
From The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 2 (of 2) Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain. by Bernal Díaz del Castillo
Who knew but that the white woman's ghost would rise out of the kopje there, some dark night, and pinch and cuff and thump and beat people who had ill-used her bantling?
From The Dop Doctor by Richard Dehan
Moreover he was perplexed as to his affair, unknowing what he should do in the matter of his helpmate and wherefore the Kazi had determined contrary to justice that he had ill-used his spouse.
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 15 by Sir Richard Francis Burton
By means of presents and penitential confession all injurers were anxious to part on good terms with the dying whom they had ill-used.
From Samoa, A Hundred Years Ago And Long Before by George Turner
