'abuse' definitions:
Definition of 'abuse'
(from WordNet)
noun
Cruel or inhumane treatment; "the child showed signs of physical abuse" [syn: maltreatment, ill-treatment, ill-usage, abuse]
noun
A rude expression intended to offend or hurt; "when a student made a stupid mistake he spared them no abuse"; "they yelled insults at the visiting team" [syn: abuse, insult, revilement, contumely, vilification]
noun
Improper or excessive use; "alcohol abuse"; "the abuse of public funds" [syn: misuse, abuse]
verb
Treat badly; "This boss abuses his workers"; "She is always stepping on others to get ahead" [syn: mistreat, maltreat, abuse, ill-use, step, ill-treat]
verb
Change the inherent purpose or function of something; "Don't abuse the system"; "The director of the factory misused the funds intended for the health care of his workers" [syn: pervert, misuse, abuse]
verb
Use foul or abusive language towards; "The actress abused the policeman who gave her a parking ticket"; "The angry mother shouted at the teacher" [syn: abuse, clapperclaw, blackguard, shout]
verb
Use wrongly or improperly or excessively; "Her husband often abuses alcohol"; "while she was pregnant, she abused drugs"
Synonyms of 'abuse'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abuse of office,
- addiction,
- afflict,
- aggrieve,
- assail,
- assailing,
- assault,
- atrocity,
- attack,
- bark at,
- batter,
- befoul,
- befoulment,
- belittle,
- berate,
- berating,
- betongue,
- betray,
- betrayal,
- bewitch,
- billingsgate,
- bitter words,
- blacken,
- blackening,
- blackguard,
- blaspheme,
- bleed,
- bleed white,
- blight,
- bruise,
- buffet,
- call names,
- calumniate,
- calumniation,
- calumny,
- catachresis,
- censure,
- condemn,
- contumely,
- conversion,
- convert,
- corrupt,
- corrupt administration,
- corruption,
- criminal assault,
- crucify,
- curse,
- cursing,
- cuss out,
- damage,
- damn,
- debase,
- debasement,
- debauch,
- debauchment,
- deceive,
- decry,
- defalcate,
- defalcation,
- defamation,
- defame,
- defile,
- defilement,
- defloration,
- deflower,
- deflowering,
- dependence,
- deprave,
- deprecate,
- depreciate,
- derogate,
- desecrate,
- desecration,
- despoil,
- despoilment,
- destroy,
- detract from,
- diatribe,
- disadvantage,
- discount,
- disparage,
- dispraise,
- disserve,
- distress,
- diversion,
- divert,
- do a mischief,
- do evil,
- do ill,
- do violence to,
- do wrong,
- do wrong by,
- do wrong to,
- doom,
- drain,
- embezzle,
- embezzlement,
- envenom,
- epithet,
- epithetize,
- execrate,
- execration,
- exploit,
- fault,
- force,
- foul,
- fouling,
- fulminate against,
- get into trouble,
- harass,
- hard words,
- harm,
- hex,
- hurt,
- ill use,
- ill-treat,
- ill-treatment,
- ill-usage,
- ill-use,
- impair,
- impose,
- impose upon,
- imprecation,
- infect,
- injure,
- injury,
- insult,
- invective,
- jaw,
- jawing,
- jeremiad,
- jinx,
- knock about,
- lambaste,
- lead astray,
- libel,
- load with reproaches,
- make use of,
- maladminister,
- maladministration,
- malediction,
- malfeasance,
- malign,
- maligning,
- malpractice,
- maltreat,
- maltreatment,
- malversation,
- manhandle,
- manipulate,
- mar,
- masturbation,
- maul,
- menace,
- mess up,
- milk,
- minimize,
- misapplication,
- misapply,
- misappropriate,
- misappropriation,
- misconduct,
- misemploy,
- misemployment,
- misfeasance,
- mishandle,
- mishandling,
- mislead,
- mismanage,
- mismanagement,
- mistreat,
- mistreatment,
- misusage,
- misuse,
- molest,
- molestation,
- mud,
- objurgate,
- objurgation,
- obloquy,
- onslaught,
- oppress,
- opprobrium,
- outrage,
- peculate,
- peculation,
- persecute,
- perversion,
- pervert,
- philippic,
- pilfer,
- pilfering,
- play havoc with,
- play hob with,
- play on,
- poison,
- pollute,
- pollution,
- poor stewardship,
- prejudice,
- presume upon,
- priapism,
- profanation,
- profane,
- profanity,
- prostitute,
- prostitution,
- rag,
- rail at,
- railing,
- rape,
- rate,
- rating,
- ravage,
- rave against,
- ravish,
- ravishment,
- rebuke,
- reproach,
- revile,
- revilement,
- reviling,
- rough,
- rough up,
- ruin,
- savage,
- scathe,
- scold,
- scolding,
- screed,
- scurrility,
- seduce,
- seducement,
- seduction,
- self-abuse,
- sexual assault,
- slander,
- soil,
- spoil,
- stroke,
- suck dry,
- sully,
- swear,
- swear at,
- swearing,
- taint,
- take advantage of,
- threaten,
- thunder against,
- tirade,
- tongue-lash,
- tongue-lashing,
- torment,
- torture,
- traduce,
- upbraid,
- upbraiding,
- use,
- use ill,
- vilification,
- vilify,
- violate,
- violation,
- violence,
- vituperate,
- vituperation,
- work on,
- work upon,
- wound,
- wreak havoc on,
- write off,
- wrong,
- yell at,
- yelp at