1. (v. t.) To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert; as, to abuse inherited gold; to make an excessive use of; as, to abuse one's authority.

2. (v. t.) To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to abuse one's powers, one's patience.

3. (v. t.) To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage.

4. (v. t.) To dishonor.

5. (v. t.) To violate; to ravish.

6. (v. t.) To deceive; to impose on.

7. (v. t.) Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language.

8. (v. t.) Physical ill treatment; injury.

9. (n.) A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service.

10. (v. t.) Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling.

11. (v. t.) Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child.

abuse of office addiction afflict aggrieve assail assailing assault atrocity attack bark at batter befoul befoulment belittle berate berating betongue betray betrayal bewitch billingsgate bitter words blacken blackening blackguard blaspheme bleed bleed white blight bruise buffet call names calumniate calumniation calumny catachresis censure condemn contumely conversion convert corrupt corrupt administration corruption criminal assault crucify curse cursing cuss out damage damn debase debasement debauch debauchment deceive decry defalcate defalcation defamation defame defile defilement defloration deflower deflowering dependence deprave deprecate depreciate derogate desecrate desecration despoil despoilment destroy detract from diatribe disadvantage discount disparage dispraise disserve distress diversion divert do a mischief do evil do ill do violence to do wrong do wrong by do wrong to doom drain embezzle embezzlement envenom epithet epithetize execrate execration exploit fault force foul fouling fulminate against get into trouble harass hard words harm hex hurt ill use ill-treat ill-treatment ill-usage ill-use impair impose impose upon imprecation infect injure injury insult invective jaw jawing jeremiad jinx knock about lambaste lead astray libel load with reproaches make use of maladminister maladministration malediction malfeasance malign maligning malpractice maltreat maltreatment malversation manhandle manipulate mar masturbation maul menace mess up milk minimize misapplication misapply misappropriate misappropriation misconduct misemploy misemployment misfeasance mishandle mishandling mislead mismanage mismanagement mistreat mistreatment misusage misuse molest molestation mud objurgate objurgation obloquy onslaught oppress opprobrium outrage peculate peculation persecute perversion pervert philippic pilfer pilfering play havoc with play hob with play on poison pollute pollution poor stewardship prejudice presume upon priapism profanation profane profanity prostitute prostitution rag rail at railing rape rate rating ravage rave against ravish ravishment rebuke reproach revile revilement reviling rough rough up ruin savage scathe scold scolding screed scurrility seduce seducement seduction self-abuse sexual assault slander soil spoil stroke suck dry sully swear swear at swearing taint take advantage of threaten thunder against tirade tongue-lash tongue-lashing torment torture