abuse
verb [ T ]
uk
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abuse verb [T] (USE WRONGLY)
- If you abuse your body now, you'll pay the price when you're older.
- The Mayor and his cohorts have abused their positions of power.
- In a landmark case/decision, the Governor pardoned a woman convicted of killing her husband, who had physically abused her.
- People who have been abused as children often experience feelings/a sense of worthlessness.
- The minister was sacked for abusing power for his personal gain.
- a raw deal idiom
- abuser
- at the hands of sb idiom
- batten
- batten on sb
- hit sb where it hurts idiom
- ill-treat
- ill-treatment
- ill-used
- impose
- pick on sb
- prey
- prey on sb
- put upon
- reduce
- use
- victimization
- victimize
- visit sth on/upon sb
- walk
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
abuse verb [T] (TREAT CRUELLY)
Several of the children had been sexually/physically/emotionally abused.
abuse verb [T] (SPEAK RUDELY)
abuse
noun
uk
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abuse noun (WRONG USE)
B2 [ C or U ]
Drug and alcohol abuse (= using these substances in a bad way) contributed to his early death.
- The government say they are trying to do more to educate the public about the consequences of drug abuse.
- After years of abuse from her husband, she eventually found the courage to leave him.
- Judge Hawthorne was chosen to head the team investigating the allegations of abuse.
- There are few crimes more truly shocking than the murder or abuse of children.
- The family said they had endured years of torment and abuse at the hands of the neighbours.
abuse noun (CRUEL BEHAVIOUR)
abuse noun (RUDE SPEECH)
He had apparently experienced a lot of verbal abuse from his co-workers.
"Idiot!" is a term of abuse (= an insulting expression).
