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[ verb ] treat badly
Examples "This boss abuses his workers" "She is always stepping on others to get ahead" Used in print (Saturday Review...)We out here do n't see enough of the conference to know he is being abused . (Herald Press Tracts, Scottdale, Pa....)Then it will be a `` fearful thing to fall_into the hands of the living God '' if you have abused Him in your hands . (Confidential, 9:1...)But I knowingly abuse their confidence . Related terms |
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[ verb ] change the inherent purpose or function of something
Examples "Don't abuse the system" "The director of the factory misused the funds intended for the health care of his workers" Used in print (Edward Austin Walton, "On Education for the Interior...)No one can deny that these `` back_door '' admissions to membership provisions have been seriously abused nor that they have not resulted in the admission of downright incompetents to membership in supposedly learned societies . Related terms |
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[ noun ] cruel or inhumane treatment
Synonyms Used in print (Leon Uris, Mila 8....)We all seek the same thing through different ways - an end to this long night of two thousand years of darkness and unspeakable abuses which will continue to plague us until the Star_of_David flies over Zion '' . Related terms mistreatment cruelty persecution child_abuse child_neglect mistreat |
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[ verb ] use foul or abusive language towards
Synonyms Examples "The actress abused the policeman who gave her a parking ticket" "The angry mother shouted at the teacher" |
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[ noun ] a rude expression intended to offend or hurt
Synonyms Examples "when a student made a stupid mistake he spared them no abuse" "they yelled insults at the visiting team" Related terms |
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