abused
adjective
[ əˈbjuːzd ]
• (of a person or animal) treated with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly.
• "abused children"
• used in a wrong or inappropriate way.
• "‘next generation’ is an abused term"
abuse
verb
• use (something) to bad effect or for a bad purpose; misuse.
• "the judge abused his power by imposing the fines"
• treat with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly.
• "riders who abuse their horses should be prosecuted"
Similar:
mistreat,
maltreat,
ill-treat,
treat badly,
ill-use,
misuse,
handle/treat roughly,
knock about,
knock around,
manhandle,
mishandle,
maul,
molest,
interfere with,
indecently assault,
sexually abuse,
sexually assault,
grope,
assault,
hit,
strike,
beat,
injure,
hurt,
harm,
damage,
wrong,
bully,
persecute,
oppress,
torture,
beat up,
rough up,
do over,
Opposite:
look after,
• speak to (someone) in an insulting and offensive way.
• "the referee was abused by players from both teams"
Similar:
insult,
be rude to,
swear at,
curse,
call someone names,
taunt,
shout at,
scold,
rebuke,
upbraid,
reprove,
castigate,
inveigh against,
impugn,
slur,
revile,
smear,
vilify,
vituperate against,
slander,
libel,
cast aspersions on,
offend,
slight,
disparage,
denigrate,
defame,
slag off,
trash-talk,
miscall,
Origin:
late Middle English: via Old French from Latin abus- ‘misused’, from the verb abuti, from ab- ‘away’ (i.e. ‘wrongly’) + uti ‘to use’.
