abuse

v.滥用

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
abuse (noun)
1.
a corrupt practice or custom
2.
improper or excessive use or treatment - misuse drug abuse
3.
obsolete a deceitful act - deception
4.
language that condemns or vilifies usually unjustly, intemperately, and angrily
5.
physical maltreatment
abuse (verb)
transitive verb
1.
a) to put to a wrong or improper use - abuse a privilege
b) to use excessively - abuse alcohol , also to use without medical justification - abusing painkillers
2.
obsolete - deceive
3.
to use so as to injure or damage - maltreat
4.
to attack in words - revile
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
abuse (noun)
1.
harsh insulting language
SYNONYMS:
billingsgate, fulmination, invective, obloquy, scurrility, vitriol, vituperation
RELATED WORDS:
blackguardism; blasphemy, curse, execration, imprecation, malediction, profanity; epithet, insult, put-down, slur; expletive, swearword; aspersion, bad-mouthing, belittlement, disparagement, revilement, vilification; castigation, chastisement, criticism, excoriation, opprobrium, rebuke, reprimand, reproof; broadside, diatribe, harangue, polemic, tirade
NEAR ANTONYMS:
acclaim, applause, commendation, praise; compliments, congratulations, endearments, felicitations; adulation, blarney, flattery, overpraise, soft soap
abuse (noun)
2.
incorrect or improper use
SYNONYMS:
abuse, misapplication, misemployment, misusage, misutilization, perversion
RELATED WORDS:
mishandling, mismanagement, mismanaging; ill-treatment, ill-usage, maltreatment, mistreatment; damage, destruction, ruin, spoiling, wrecking; corruption, debasement, desecration, profanation, prostitution
NEAR ANTONYMS:
application, employment, use, utilization
abuse (verb)
1.
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
SYNONYMS:
brutalize, bully, ill-treat, ill-use, kick around, maltreat, manhandle, mess over, mishandle, mistreat, misuse
RELATED WORDS:
molest, outrage, violate; harass, harm, hurt, injure, oppress, persecute, torment, torture; burn, sandbag, victimize, wrong; beat (up), mess (up), rough (up), work (over)
take apart
NEAR ANTONYMS:
care (for), cherish, foster, nurture; baby, cater (to), coddle, favor, gratify, humor, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil
abuse (verb)
2.
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
SYNONYMS:
abuse, assail, bash, belabor, blast, castigate, excoriate, jump (on), lambaste ( lambast), potshot, savage, scathe, slam, trash, vituperate
RELATED WORDS:
berate, harangue, harass, harry, revile, scold, whip; blaspheme, curse, execrate, imprecate, profane; affront, insult, slur; asperse, bad-mouth, belittle, blackguard, disparage, put down; libel, slander, traduce, vilify; chastise, chide, criticize, lace (into), rebuke, reprimand, reproof; fulminate, lash (out)
NEAR ANTONYMS:
acclaim, commend, compliment, hail, laud, praise
abuse (verb)
3.
to put to a bad or improper use
SYNONYMS:
abuse, misemploy, misuse, pervert, profane, prostitute
RELATED WORDS:
degrade, twist; mismanage; corrupt, debase, desecrate
NEAR ANTONYMS:
apply, employ, use, utilize; respect
abuse (verb)
4.
to take unfair advantage of
SYNONYMS:
abuse, capitalize (on), cash in (on), impose (on upon), leverage, milk, pimp, play (on upon), use, work
RELATED WORDS:
jerk around, manipulate, mistreat; bleed, cheat, fleece, overcharge, skin, soak, stick; commercialize, commodify
« Back to Glossary Index