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to use wrongly or improperly; misuse:
to abuse one’s authority.
to treat in a harmful, injurious, or offensive way:
to abuse a horse; to abuse one’s eyesight.
to speak insultingly, harshly, and unjustly to or about; revile; malign.
to commit s-xual -ssault upon.
obsolete. to deceive or mislead.
wrong or improper use; misuse:
the abuse of privileges.
harshly or co-rs-ly insulting language:
the officer heaped abuse on his men.
bad or improper treatment; maltreatment:
the child was subjected to cruel abuse.
a corrupt or improper practice or custom:
the abuses of a totalitarian regime.
rape or s-xual -ssault.
obsolete, .
abuse oneself, to m-st-rb-t-.
verb (transitive) (əˈbjuːz)
to use incorrectly or improperly; misuse
to maltreat, esp physically or s-xually
to speak insultingly or cruelly to; revile
(reflexive) to m-st-rb-t-
noun (əˈbjuːs)
improper, incorrect, or excessive use; misuse
maltreatment of a person; injury
insulting, contemptuous, or co-rs- speech
an evil, unjust, or corrupt practice
see child abuse
(archaic) a deception
v.

early 15c., “to misuse, misapply,” from middle french abuser, from vulgar latin -abusare, from latin abusus “an abusing, using up,” past participle of abuti “use up,” also “misuse,” from ab- “away” (see ab-) + uti “use” (see use). of s-xual situations from early 15c., but originally incest, h-m-s-xuality, prost-tution, etc.; meaning “to misuse s-xually, ravish” is from 1550s. specifically of drugs, from 1968. related: abused; abusing.
n.

mid-15c., “improper practice,” from old french abus (14c.), from latin abusus (see abuse (v.)). earlier in middle english was abusion “wicked act or practice, shameful thing, violation of decency” (early 14c.), “an insult” (mid-14c.).

abuse a·buse (ə-byōōz’)
v. a·bused, a·bus·ing, a·bus·es

to use wrongly or improperly; misuse.

to hurt or injure physically by maltreatment.

to -ssail with contemptuous, co-rs-, or insulting words; revile.

n. (ə-byōōs’)

improper use or handling, as of a drug; misuse.

physical maltreatment, as of a spouse or child.

insulting or co-rs- language.

a·bus’er n.