abuse

Definitions

1. 1.To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to abuse one's powers, one's patience.
2. 2.To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage. The . . . tellers of news abused the general. Macaulay.
3. 3.To dishonor. "Shall flight abuse your name" Shak.
4. 4.To violate; to ravish. Spenser.
5. 5.To deceive; to impose on. [Obs.] Their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist cloud, and abused by a double object. Jer. Taylor.
6. 6.Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language. Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power. Madison.
7. 7.Physical ill treatment; injury. "Rejoice . . . at the abuse of Falstaff." Shak.
8. 8.A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service. Abuse after disappeared without a struggle.. Macaulay.
9. 9.Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling. The two parties, after exchanging a good deal of abuse, came to blows. Macaulay.
10. 10.Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child. [Obs.] Or is it some abuse, and no such thing Shak. Abuse of distress (Law), a wrongful using of an animal or chattel distrained, by the distrainer. -- Abuse, Invective. Abuse is generally prompted by anger, and vented in harsh and unseemly words. It is more personal and coarse than invective. Abuse generally takes place in private quarrels; invective in writing or public discussions. Invective may be conveyed in refined language and dictated by indignation against what is blameworthy. C. J. Smith.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "abuse" mean?
• What is another word for "abuse"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is abuse.

• What is to use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to abuse one's powers, one's patience called?
• What is to revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage. The . . . tellers of news abused the general. Macaulay called?
• What is to dishonor. "Shall flight abuse your name" Shak called?
• What is to deceive; to impose on. [Obs.] Their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist cloud, and abused by a double object. Jer. Taylor called?
• What is physical ill treatment; injury. "Rejoice . . . at the abuse of Falstaff." Shak called?
• What is a corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service. Abuse after disappeared without a struggle.. Macaulay called?
• What is vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling. The two parties, after exchanging a good deal of abuse, came to blows. Macaulay called?