abuse

From Wiktionary

Contents 1 Pronunciation 2 Noun 2.1 Synonyms 3 Verb

[change] Pronunciation

noun

• (UK) IPA: /əˈbjuːs/, SAMPA: /@"bju:s/
• (US) enPR: əbyo͞os', IPA: /əˈbjus/, SAMPA: /@"bjus/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

verb

• (UK) IPA: /əˈbjuːz/, SAMPA: /@"bju:z</
• (US) enPR: əbyo͞oz', IPA: /əˈbjuz/, SAMPA: /@"bjuz/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[change] Noun

Singular abuse

Plural abuses

1. (uncountable); (plural only; not used in singular form) Abuse is touching or acting towards someone in a way that will likely hurt them.

   The girls suffered terrible physical and sexual abuse from their father.

2. (countable & uncountable) If you abuse something, you use it in the wrong way.

[change] Synonyms

• misuse

[change] Verb

Plain form abuse

Third-person singular abuses

Past tense abused

Past participle abused

Present participle abusing

1. (transitive) If you abuse something, you misuse it; you use something improperly.
2. (transitive) If you abuse something, you injure it; you hurt it or treat it with cruelty.
3. (transitive) If you abuse somebody, you rape them; you assault them.
4. (transitive) If you abuse somebody, you berate them; you insult or revile them.

This section needs someone to add example sentences to it.