ill-use
Americanverb (used with object)
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ill-uses,
present (3rd person singular)
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ill-used,
past participle, past
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ill-using
present participle
noun
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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ill-usesimple
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ill-usessimple
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have ill-usedperfect
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has ill-usedperfect
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am ill-usingprogressive
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are ill-usingprogressive
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is ill-usingprogressive
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have been ill-usingperfect progressive
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has been ill-usingperfect progressive
Past
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ill-usedsimple
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had ill-usedperfect
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was ill-usingprogressive
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were ill-usingprogressive
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had been ill-usingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of ill-use
First recorded in 1835–45
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.
See Examples For:
"She did not ill-use me. Indeed, I do not believe that she ever knew that I was there at all. Is that not peculiar?"
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
His owner had hesitated for some time before he made up his mind to have a dog, as he had often seen dogs ill-use the poor sheep.
From St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 8, May 1878, No. 7. An Illustrated Magazine for Young Folks by Various
I see that misfortunes always overtake those who ill-use others.”
From Boys and Girls Bookshelf (Vol 2 of 17) Folk-Lore, Fables, And Fairy Tales by W. J. (Winton James) Baltzell
The Federals thought the members of the Council wanted to abscond, and they were even about to ill-use them, when some one recognised Delescluze.
From History of the Commune of 1871 by P. Lissagary
"They might ill-use him, and he's been ill-used more than enough already."
From The Sailor by J. C. Snaith
That is, except when he is rude, and ill-uses me, and will not come and apologize!’
From The Hand of Ethelberta by Thomas Hardy
Mr. Watts is too modest in his behaviour, and for that reason the young tyrant despises and ill-uses him.
From Athelstane Ford by Allen Upward
The master of this animal never ill-uses him nor scolds him, and at feeding-time the dogs are always served before the men.
From The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 2 by Henry Yule
You'll be good to him, and stand his friend, and teach him seafaring ways, and you'll see that nobody ill-uses him.
From The Sailor by J. C. Snaith
The very readable, if long and winding, “The Calamity Club” focuses on a crew of frequently ill-used, tough-minded white women.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
When he was onstage everyone cowered, even his wife, an ill-used April Daly, who tried hard with this sorrowful role.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2018
Well, maybe, though I’m not sure the Joan embodied here by the gifted but ill-used Jo Lampert should be taken as a paradigm for today’s wearers of pink pussy hats.
From New York Times ● Mar. 15, 2017
And actually serious party officials like Spicer were ill-used and degraded.
From US News ● Jul. 20, 2016
Then she sent for the stranger who had been ill-used.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
O, let me hug thee, gentle Fauconbridge; Forgive my oft ill-using of thine age.
From A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 7 by Various
On one occasion, while out walking not far from his home, he encountered some men who were ill-using a fallen horse.
From George Borrow in East Anglia by William A. (William Alfred) Dutt
But Choo strictly forbade plundering, and any of his band caught robbing or ill-using the people met with prompt and summary punishment.
From China by Demetrius Charles Boulger
Then seizing Himboldt by the collar, he accused him of flinging away from the cart the servant who, by his orders, was unbinding the horses, and otherwise ill-using him.
From Tales from the German Comprising specimens from the most celebrated authors by Various
She was devotedly attached to Maidie, rather despising and ill-using her sister Isabella,—a beautiful and gentle child.
From Stories of Childhood by Rossiter Johnson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
