To use ill; misuse; put to a wrong or bad use; divert from the proper use; misapply: as, to abuse rights or privileges; to abuse words.To do wrong to; act injuriously toward; injure; disgrace; dishonor.To violate; ravish; defile. To attack with contumelious language; revile. To deceive; impose on; mislead.Synonyms To Abuse, Misuse, misapply, misemploy, pervert, profane. Abuse and misuse are closely synonymous terms, but misuse conveys more particularly the idea of using inappropriately, abuse that of treating injuriously. In general, abuse is the stronger word.To maltreat, ill-use, injure. To revile, reproach, vilify, rate, berate, vituperate, rail at.n. Ill use; improper treatment or employment; application to a wrong purpose; improper use or application: as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of religious privileges; abuse of advantages; abuse of words.n. Ill treatment of a person; injury; insult; dishonor; especially, ill treatment in words; contumelious language.n. A corrupt practice or custom; an offense; a crime; a fault: as, the abuses of government.n. Violation; defilement: as, self-abuse. Deception.n. Abuse, Invective, maltreatment, outrage; vituperation, contumely, scolding, reviling, aspersion, slander, obloquy. (See invective.) “ Abuse as compared with invective is more personal and coarse, being conveyed in harsh and unseemly terms, and dictated by angry feeling and bitter temper. Invective is more commonly aimed at character or conduct, and may be conveyed in writing and in refined language, and dictated by indignation against what is in itself blameworthy. It often, however, means public abuse under such restraints as are imposed by position and education.”
