abuse

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [U,sing.] ~ (of sth) the use of sth in a way that is wrong or harmful: alcohol / drug / solvent abuse * He was arrested on charges of corruption and abuse of power. * The system of paying cash bonuses is open to abuse (= might be used in the wrong way). * What she did was an abuse of her position as manager. 2 [U,pl.] unfair, cruel or violent treatment of sb: child abuse * sexual abuse * reported abuses by the secret police * She suffered years of physical abuse. 3 [U] rude and offensive remarks, usually made when sb is very angry: to scream / hurl / shout abuse * a stream / torrent of abuse * The man burst into a torrent of foul-mouthed racist abuse. verb [VN] 1 to make bad use of sth, or to use so much of sth that it harms your health: to abuse alcohol / drugs * He systematically abused his body with heroin and cocaine. 2 to use power or knowledge unfairly or wrongly: She abused her position as principal by giving jobs to her friends. * He felt they had abused his trust by talking about him to the press (= deceived him, although he had trusted them). 3 to treat a person or an animal in a cruel or violent way, especially sexually: All the children had been physically and emotionally abused. * He had abused his own daughter (= had sex with her). * The boy had been viciously assaulted and sexually abused. 4 to make rude or offensive remarks to or about sb: Journalists covering the case have been threatened and abused. abuser noun: a drug abuser * a child abuser