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
Yes, we may so ill-use our bodies that the watchman sleeps at his post!
From My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year by John Henry Jowett
"Adzooks," quoth Tom, "is it possible that such a little fellow as this could ill-use such a strapping dame as you."
From Amusing Prose Chap Books by Various
And to think that any man could ill-use a creature like that,” half to herself; but Fay drooped her head as she heard her.
From Wee Wifie by Rosa Nouchette Carey
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
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
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 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
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
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
And actually serious party officials like Spicer were ill-used and degraded.
From US News ● Jul. 20, 2016
But as designed by Christine Jones, with phosphorescent lighting by Chahine Yavroyan, the stage is a spartan snowscape populated by tall, leafless trees that look as if they have been ill-used by humanity and nature.
From New York Times ● Jan. 25, 2015
Fjalar and Galar told people who passed their fortress the story of how ill-used they had been by Suttung.
From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman
Some girl must have been ill-using him, or he imagines that she has.
From The Beetle by Richard Marsh
When I think of the good women I have known," he answered evasively, "the sweet true, noble women, I feel my blood boil at the thought of any man ill-using any woman.
From Cobwebs and Cables by Hesba Stretton
"If he's ill-using her she's quite right," said Madame Goesler.
From The Eustace Diamonds by Anthony Trollope
It seems that Mrs. Ruiz has some evidence which proves that the Spaniards were ill-using Dr. Ruiz.
From The Great Round World And What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1. No. 21, April 1, 1897 A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls by Julia Truitt Bishop
She was devotedly attached to Maidie, rather despising and ill-using her sister Isabella, a beautiful and gentle child.
From Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 6 by Hamilton Wright Mabie
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.
