Abused

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Abuse \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.
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              This principle (if one may so abuse the word) shoots
              rapidly into popularity.              --Froude.
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     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.
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     3. To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage.
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              The . . . tellers of news abused the general.
                                                    --Macaulay.
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     4. To dishonor. "Shall flight abuse your name?" --Shak.
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     5. To violate; to ravish. --Spenser.
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     6. To deceive; to impose on. [Obs.]
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              Their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist
              cloud, and abused by a double object. --Jer. Taylor.
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     Syn: To maltreat; injure; revile; reproach; vilify;
          vituperate; asperse; traduce; malign.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  abused
       adj 1: used improperly or excessively especially drugs; "an abused
              substance"
       2: abused with language [ant: {unabused}]
       3: physically abused; "an abused wife" [syn: {ill-treated}, {maltreated},
           {mistreated}] [ant: {unabused}]