Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

abuse

Translate abuse | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of abuse

verb

Pronunciation: /əˈbjuːz/
[with object]
  • 1use (something) to bad effect or for a bad purpose; misuse:the judge abused his power by imposing the fines
  • make excessive and habitual use of (alcohol or drugs, especially illegal ones): at various times in her life she abused both alcohol and drugs
  • 2treat with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly:riders who abuse their horses should be prosecuted
  • assault (someone, especially a woman or child) sexually:he was a depraved man who had abused his two young daughters (as adjective abused)abused children
  • (abuse oneself) euphemistic masturbate.
  • use or treat in such a way as to cause damage or harm:he had been abusing his body for years
  • 3speak to (someone) in an insulting and offensive way:the referee was abused by players from both teams

noun

Pronunciation: /əˈbjuːs/
[mass noun]
  • 1the improper use of something:alcohol abuse [count noun]:an abuse of public funds
  • unjust or corrupt practice:protection against fraud and abuse [count noun]:human rights abuses
  • 2cruel and violent treatment of a person or animal:a black eye and other signs of physical abuse
  • violent treatment involving sexual assault, especially on a regular basis: young people who have suffered sexual abuse
  • 3insulting and offensive language:waving his fists and hurling abuse at the driver

Derivatives

abuser

noun
drug abusers

Origin:

late Middle English: via Old French from Latin abus- 'misused', from the verb abuti, from ab- 'away' (i.e. 'wrongly') + uti 'to use'

abuse in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of abuse in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

  |  Cite

Word of the day

epithalamium

/ ˌɛpɪθəˈleɪmɪəm /
noun
a song or poem celebrating a marriage …