ABUSE


Meaning of ABUSE in English

(~d)

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.

1.

Abuse of someone is cruel and violent treatment of them.

...investigation of alleged child ~.

...victims of sexual and physical ~.

...controversy over human rights ~s.

N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl, usu with supp

2.

Abuse is extremely rude and insulting things that people say when they are angry.

I was left shouting ~ as the car sped off...

N-UNCOUNT

3.

Abuse of something is the use of it in a wrong way or for a bad purpose.

What went on here was an ~ of power.

...drug and alcohol ~.

N-VAR: with supp

4.

If someone is ~d, they are treated cruelly and violently.

Janet had been ~d by her father since she was eleven.

...parents who feel they cannot cope or might ~ their children.

...those who work with ~d children.

VERB: be V-ed, V n, V-ed

~r (~rs)

...a convicted child ~r.

N-COUNT

5.

You can say that someone is ~d if extremely rude and insulting things are said to them.

He alleged that he was verbally ~d by other soldiers.

= insult

VERB: be V-ed, also V n

6.

If you ~ something, you use it in a wrong way or for a bad purpose.

He showed how the rich and powerful can ~ their position.

VERB: V n

~r

...the treatment of alcohol and drug ~rs.

N-COUNT

Collins COBUILD.      Толковый словарь английского языка для изучающих язык Коллинз COBUILD (международная база данных языков Бирмингемского университета) .