A*buse" (?), n. [F. abus, L.
abusus, fr. abuti. See Abuse, v. t.]
1. 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.
Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty,
as well as by the abuses of power.
Madison.
2. Physical ill treatment; injury. "Rejoice .
. . at the abuse of Falstaff." Shak.
3. A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime;
fault; as, the abuses in the civil service.
Abuse after disappeared without a struggle..
Macaulay.
4. Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech;
abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling.
The two parties, after exchanging a good deal of
abuse, came to blows.
Macaulay.
5. Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female
child. [Obs.]
Or is it some abuse, and no such thing?
Shak.
Abuse of distress (Law), a wrongful using
of an animal or chattel distrained, by the distrainer.
Syn. -- Invective; contumely; reproach; scurrility; insult;
opprobrium. -- Abuse, Invective. Abuse is generally
prompted by anger, and vented in harsh and unseemly words. It is more
personal and coarse than invective. Abuse generally takes
place in private quarrels; invective in writing or public
discussions. Invective may be conveyed in refined language and
dictated by indignation against what is blameworthy. C. J. Smith.
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.