Hypertext Webster Gateway: "abused"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Abuse \A*buse"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Abused}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Abusing}.] [F. abuser; L. abusus, p. p. of abuti to abuse,
misuse; ab + uti to use. See {Use}.]
1. 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.

This principle (if one may so abuse the word) shoots
rapidly into popularity. --Froude.

2. 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. To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage.

The . . . tellers of news abused the general.
--Macaulay.

4. To dishonor. ``Shall flight abuse your name?'' --Shak.

5. To violate; to ravish. --Spenser.

6. To deceive; to impose on. [Obs.]

Their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist
cloud, and abused by a double object. --Jer. Taylor.

Syn: To maltreat; injure; revile; reproach; vilify;
vituperate; asperse; traduce; malign.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

abused
adj 1: used improperly or excessively especially drugs; "an abused
substance"
2: abused with language [ant: {unabused}]
3: physically abused; "an abused wife [syn: {ill-treated}, {maltreated},
{mistreated}] [ant: {unabused}]

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