abuse

a|buse¹ W3S2 [əˈbju:s] n

1.) [plural, U]

cruel or violent treatment of someone

▪ several cases of child abuse

physical/sexual/racial abuse

▪ Many children suffer racial abuse at school.

▪ An independent committee will look into alleged human rights abuses.

2.) [U and C]

the use of something in a way that it should not be used

= ↑misuse abuse of

▪ government officials' abuse of power

▪ A self-monitoring tax system is clearly open to abuse (=able to be used wrongly) .

alcohol/drug abuse

(=the practice of drinking too much or taking illegal drugs)

→↑solvent abuse

3.) [U]

rude or offensive things that someone says when they are angry

▪ vandalism and verbal abuse directed at old people

a torrent/stream of abuse

(=a series of rude or angry words)

shout/hurl/scream abuse at sb

▪ The other driver started hurling abuse at me.

→a term of abuse at ↑term¹ (3)

abuse ²

a|buse² [əˈbju:z] v [T]

[Date: 1400-1500; : French; Origin: abuser, from Latin abusus, past participle of abuti, from ab- 'away' + uti 'to use']

1.) to treat someone in a cruel and violent way, often sexually

sexually/physically abused

▪ She was sexually abused as a child.

2.) to deliberately use something for the wrong purpose or for your own advantage

▪ Williams abused his position as Mayor to give jobs to his friends.

▪ Morris abused the trust the firm had shown in him.

▪ people who abuse the system

abuse alcohol/drugs

▪ The proportion of drinkers who abuse alcohol is actually quite small.

3.) to say rude or offensive things to someone

= ↑insult

▪ Many soldiers in Belfast are verbally abused .

▪ He came to the help of another driver who was being racially abused by three white passengers.

4.) to treat something so badly that you start to destroy it

▪ James abused his body for years with heroin and cocaine.

>abuser n