abuse🔊

Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom. +

Misuse; improper use; perversion.

(obsolete) A delusion; an imposture; misrepresentation; deception. (mid-17th c.)

Coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; language that unjustly or angrily vilifies. +

(rare) Catachresis. +

Physical maltreatment; injury; cruel treatment.

Violation; defilement; rape; forcing of undesired sexual activity by one person on another, often on a repeated basis.

To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to use improperly; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert

To injure; to maltreat; to hurt; to treat with cruelty, especially repeatedly. +

(insult)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.

(archaic) To violate; defile; to rape; (reflexive) to masturbate.

(obsolete) Misrepresent; adulterate.

(obsolete) To deceive; to trick; to impose on; misuse the confidence of. (early 19th c.) +

(Scotland) Disuse. (mid 16th c.)