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Definitions for Abuse

[1] to use wrongly or improperly; misuse: to abuse one's authority.
[2] to treat in a harmful, injurious, or offensive way: to abuse a horse; to abuse one's eyesight.
[3] to speak insultingly, harshly, and unjustly to or about; revile; malign.
[4] to commit sexual assault upon.
[5] Obsolete . to deceive or mislead.
[6] wrong or improper use; misuse: the abuse of privileges.
[7] harshly or coarsely insulting language: The officer heaped abuse on his men.
[8] bad or improper treatment; maltreatment: The child was subjected to cruel abuse.
[9] a corrupt or improper practice or custom: the abuses of a totalitarian regime.
[10] rape or sexual assault.
[11] Obsolete . deception.
[12] abuse oneself , to masturbate.
[13] to use incorrectly or improperly; misuse
[14] to maltreat, esp physically or sexually
[15] to speak insultingly or cruelly to; revile
[16] (reflexive) to masturbate
[17] improper, incorrect, or excessive use; misuse
[18] maltreatment of a person; injury
[19] insulting, contemptuous, or coarse speech
[20] an evil, unjust, or corrupt practice
[21] See child abuse
[22] archaic a deception

Words related to Abuse

prostitution, crime, exploitation, misdeed, injustice, wrongdoing, offense, misuse, misconduct, corruption, harm, violation, maltreatment, damage, injury, pollution, violate, maltreat, impair, corrupt

Words nearby Abuse

abundant number, abundant year, abundantly, abury, abusage, abuse, abusive, abut, abutilon, abutment, abuttal

Origin of Abuse

1400–50; (v.) late Middle English abusen < Middle French abuser, verbal derivative of abus < Latin abūsus misuse, wasting, equivalent to abūt(ī ) to use up, misuse (ab- ab- + ūtī to use) + -tus suffix of v. action; (noun) late Middle English abus < Middle French abus or Latin abūsus

Other words from Abuse

a·bus·a·ble [uh -byoo -zuh -buh l] /əˈbyu zə bəl/ , adjective
a·bus·er , noun
an·ti·a·buse , adjective
o·ver·a·buse , noun, verb (used with object), o·ver·a·bused, o·ver·a·bus·ing.
un·a·bus·a·ble , adjective
un·a·bused , adjective
a•bus′ er n.

Word origin for Abuse

c14 (vb): via Old French from Latin abūsus, past participle of abūtī to misuse, from ab- 1 + ūtī to use

Synonyms for Abuse

corruption, crime, exploitation, injustice, misconduct, misdeed, misuse, offense, prostitution, wrongdoing, debasement, delinquency, desecration, fault, misapplication, mishandling, mismanage, perversion, sin, wrong