See Also: Abuse(medicine)
ABUSE(law)
self-abuse(dictionary)
abuse(1)(dictionary)
abuse(2)(dictionary)
self-abuse(dictionary)
Alcohol abuse(health)
Elder Abuse(law)
Elder abuse(health)
child abuse(encyclopedia)

abuse(2) (iou)



abuse verb trans. LME.
[Old & mod. French abuser ult. from Latin abus- pa. ppl stem of abuti, from ab AB- + uti to use.]
I.
Misuse; make a bad use of; wrongly take advantage of. LME.
M. Frayn I'm in a position of trust and privilege..and I take care not to abuse it.
b. spec. Take (a drug) for a purpose other than a therapeutic one. M20.
Violate (a person); defile. arch. LME.
Misrepresent; adulterate. LME-M18.
Henry Fielding He hath been..grossly abused to you.
Misuse the confidence of; impose upon; deceive. L15-E19.
Milton A misguided and abus'd Multitude.
Maltreat, injure, esp. repeatedly. M16.
T. Fuller He that abuseth his servants, giving them too little food or sleep. R. S. Thomas Storming at him/..with the eloquence / of the abused heart. Times A girl..was being sexually abused by her father.
Speak insultingly or unkindly to or of; malign. E17.
Yeats Ever and always curse him and abuse him.
II.
Disuse. Scot. L15-M16.
abusable adjective M17.
abusage noun abuse, misuse, (obsolete after M17, revived M20 by Eric Partridge) M16.
abuser noun1 a person who abuses someone or something LME.
abuser noun2 [-ER4] illegal or wrongful use M17-M18.