I. a ‧ buse 1 S2 W3 /əˈbjuːs/ BrE AmE noun
1 . [plural, uncountable] 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 . [uncountable and countable] the use of something in a way that it should not be used SYN 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 . [uncountable] 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 somebody
The other driver started hurling abuse at me.
⇨ a term of abuse at ↑ term 1 (3)
II. a ‧ buse 2 /əˈbjuːz/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: 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 SYN 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 noun [countable]