abuse

Meanings

Noun

• Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom.
• Misuse; improper use; perversion.
• A delusion; an imposture; misrepresentation; deception.
• Coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; language that unjustly or angrily vilifies.
• Catachresis.
• Physical maltreatment; injury; cruel treatment.
• Violation; defilement; rape; forcing of undesired sexual activity by one person on another, often on a repeated basis.

Verb

• To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to use improperly; to misuse; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert
• To injure; to maltreat; to hurt; to treat with cruelty, especially repeatedly.
• To attack with coarse language; to insult; to revile; malign; to speak in an offensive manner to or about someone; to disparage.
• To imbibe a drug for a purpose other than it was intended; to intentionally take more of a drug than was prescribed for recreational reasons; to take illegal drugs habitually.
• To violate; defile; to rape.
• Misrepresent; adulterate.
• To deceive; to trick; to impose on; misuse the confidence of.
• Disuse.

Origin

• From Middle English abusen, then from either Old French abus ("improper use"), or from Latin abūsus ("misused, using up"), perfect active participle of abūtor, from ab + ūtor. Equivalent to ab- + use.
• From Middle English abusen, from Middle French abuser, from Latin abūsus ("misused, using up"), perfect active participle of abūtor, from ab + ūtor.