Abuse - English meaning

verb

Make a physical attack on.

Usage examples:

He pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer

noun

A physical attack.

Usage examples:

His imprisonment for an assault on the film director

noun

A concerted attempt to do something demanding.

Usage examples:

A winter assault on mt everest

verb

Cause (light or shadow) to appear on a surface.

Usage examples:

The moon cast a pale light over the cottages

noun

Throw the hooked and baited end of (a fishing line) out into the water.

verb

The actors taking part in a play, film, or other production.

Usage examples:

He draws sensitive performances from his inexperienced cast

verb

Reprimand (someone) severely.

Usage examples:

He was castigated for not setting a good example

verb

To criticize someone or something severely

Usage examples:

Health inspectors castigated the kitchen staff for not keeping the place clean.

noun

A solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something.

Usage examples:

She'd put a curse on him

verb

An offensive word or phrase used to express anger or annoyance.

Usage examples:

At every blow there was a curse

verb

To say rude or offensive words about something or someone because you are angry

Usage examples:

[ i ] no coach is allowed to curse at or lay a hand on a player., if we don't do something about th…

noun

A solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something.

Usage examples:

She'd put a curse on him

verb

An offensive word or phrase used to express anger or annoyance.

Usage examples:

At every blow there was a curse

verb

To say rude or offensive words about something or someone because you are angry

Usage examples:

[ i ] no coach is allowed to curse at or lay a hand on a player., if we don't do something about th…

verb

Invoke or use a curse against.

Usage examples:

It often seemed as if the family had been cursed

noun

A solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something.

Usage examples:

She'd put a curse on him

noun

A coarse or blasphemous word or phrase used to express anger or other strong emotion.

Usage examples:

His mouth was spitting vile oaths and curses

noun

An oath or swear word.

Usage examples:

He was greeted by a stream of expletives

adjective

(of a word or phrase) serving to fill out a sentence or line of verse.

Usage examples:

Icelandic takes the non-referential property of quasi-argumental null subjects as basic, therefore …

noun

A rude or offensive word used to express anger, pain, annoyance, etc.

verb

Make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource).

Usage examples:

500 companies sprang up to exploit this new technology

noun

A bold or daring feat.

Usage examples:

Despite a series of colourful exploits, his agents obtained little intelligence of value

noun

A brave, interesting, or unusual act

Usage examples:

Daredevil exploits, he is not content to limit himself to his exploits on the basketball court., th…

noun

The action or fact of treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work.

Usage examples:

The exploitation of migrant workers

noun

The act of using someone unfairly for your own advantage

Usage examples:

She favors legislation to curb the exploitation of child labor.

noun

The use or development of something for profit or progress in business

Usage examples:

The awards recognize the best new products or processes suitable for commercial exploitation., the …

verb

Bring one's hand or a tool or weapon into contact with (someone or something) quickly and forcefully.

Usage examples:

The woman hit the mugger with her umbrella

noun

An instance of striking or being struck.

Usage examples:

Few structures can withstand a hit from a speeding car

noun

An instance of striking the target aimed at.

Usage examples:

One of the bombers had scored a direct hit

verb

To treat someone badly, especially by being violent or by not taking care of them

Usage examples:

The child had been severely ill-treated by his parents.

verb

Dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of (a statement or motive); call into question.

Usage examples:

The father does not impugn her capacity as a good mother

verb

Speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse.

Usage examples:

You're insulting the woman i love

noun

A disrespectful or scornfully abusive remark or act.

Usage examples:

He hurled insults at us

verb

To act in a way or say something that is offensive or rude to someone

Usage examples:

Don’t insult me just because i can’t dance., an insulting remark, offering me so little money was a…

verb

Speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse.

Usage examples:

You're insulting the woman i love

noun

A disrespectful or scornfully abusive remark or act.

Usage examples:

He hurled insults at us

noun

The action of interfering or the process of being interfered with.

Usage examples:

Concerns about government interference in church life

noun

On the radio, television, or telephone, interference is noise, lines, etc., that prevent a clear sound or picture from being received.

noun

Insulting, abusive, or highly critical language.

Usage examples:

He let out a stream of invective

noun

Criticism that is very forceful, unkind, and often rude

Usage examples:

A stream of invective from some sectors of the press continues to assail the government.

noun

Change course by swinging the sail across a following wind.

Usage examples:

They gybed, and the boat turned over

verb

Make insulting or mocking remarks; jeer.

Usage examples:

Some cynics in the media might jibe

verb

Be in accord; agree.

Usage examples:

The verdict does not jibe with the medical evidence

phrasal verb

Travel without a specific purpose.

Usage examples:

For a couple of years she and i knocked around the mediterranean

phrasal verb

Injure or damage someone or something by rough treatment.

Usage examples:

The first couple of rounds of treatment knocked me around a bit

phrasal verb

To spend time relaxing and doing very little

Usage examples:

I spent the weekend just knocking around the house., i used to knock around with him at school., i'…

noun

A published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation.

Usage examples:

He was found guilty of a libel on a liverpool inspector of taxes

verb

Defame (someone) by publishing a libel.

Usage examples:

The jury found that he was libelled by a newspaper

noun

A piece of writing that says bad, false, and harmful things about a person, or the legal claim you make when you accuse someone in court of writing such things about you

Usage examples:

[ c ] the whole story was a vicious libel., [ u ] angry at what the newspaper had printed, she sued…

verb

Treat (a person or animal) cruelly or with violence.

Usage examples:

Children die from neglect or are maltreated by their carers

verb

To treat someone cruelly or violently

Usage examples:

He had been badly maltreated as a child.

noun

Cruel or violent treatment of a person or animal; mistreatment.

Usage examples:

16 per cent of children experience serious maltreatment at the hands of their parents

noun

The act of treating someone cruelly or violently

Usage examples:

They complained about the physical and psychological maltreatment of prisoners., the company is not…

verb

Move (a heavy object) by hand with great effort.

Usage examples:

Men used to manhandle the piano down the stairs

verb

To handle someone with force or push someone around, often when taking the person somewhere

Usage examples:

Security guards had manhandled some of the fans.

verb

Move (a heavy object) by hand with great effort.

Usage examples:

Men used to manhandle the piano down the stairs

verb

Present participle of manhandle

Usage examples:

There were complaints that the police had manhandled some of the demonstrators., several pieces of …

verb

(of an animal) wound (a person or animal) by scratching and tearing.

Usage examples:

A man was mauled by a lion at london zoo

noun

(in rugby union) a loose scrum formed around a player with the ball off the ground.

Usage examples:

The grounding of the ball in a driven maul satisfied the touch judge, but not the referee, and anot…

verb

Injure badly

noun

The use of something in a way that is illegal or wrong

Usage examples:

The misapplication of sth the misapplication of bank funds by an employee

verb

Use (something) for the wrong purpose or in the wrong way.

Usage examples:

Once new technology is adopted, it is often underused or misapplied

verb

To use something in a way that is wrong or illegal

Usage examples:

The trader pleaded guilty to misapplying millions of dollars and falsifying records., did the depar…

verb

Employ or use (something) wrongly or improperly.

Usage examples:

You misemploy the term ‘celibate’

verb

To employ a worker in a way that is not right or useful

Usage examples:

Why do people stay in their current situation if they are misemployed?, the person is misemployed i…

verb

Manage or deal with (something) wrongly or ineffectively.

Usage examples:

The officer had mishandled the situation

verb

To deal with something without the necessary care or skill

Usage examples:

The administration completely mishandled this incident.

verb

Manage or deal with (something) wrongly or ineffectively.

Usage examples:

The officer had mishandled the situation

noun

The act or an example of dealing with something without the necessary care or skill

Usage examples:

Who do you blame for the mishandling of the economy?, the mishandling of information was one of the…

verb

Treat (a person or animal) badly, cruelly, or unfairly.

Usage examples:

He denied mistreating his workers

noun

The action of mistreating or fact of being mistreated; ill-treatment.

Usage examples:

The alleged mistreatment of the animals that perform in those shows

noun

The act of treating a person or animal badly, cruelly, or unfairly

Usage examples:

She suffered years of mistreatment from her violent husband., the alleged mistreatment of prisoners

verb

Use (something) in the wrong way or for the wrong purpose.

Usage examples:

He was found guilty of misusing public funds

noun

The wrong or improper use of something.

Usage examples:

Drugs of such potency that their misuse can have dire consequences

verb

To use something in an unsuitable way or in a way that was not intended

Usage examples:

She’s been accused of misusing federal funds to pay for her son’s private school expenses., [ c ] t…

verb

Assault or abuse (a person, especially a woman or child) sexually.

Usage examples:

He was charged with molesting and taking obscene photographs of a ten-year-old boy

verb

Harass or assault sexually; make indecent advances to

verb

To touch someone sexually when it is not wanted

Usage examples:

Allegations (= accusations) of drug abuse and child molestation., a child molester

noun

Sexual assault or abuse of a person, especially a woman or child.

Usage examples:

He was tried for molestation of two young girls

noun

The act of molesting someone (= touching or attacking them in a sexual way)

Usage examples:

Sexual molestation, we hope this case will lead to reforms in the way officials deal with molestati…

noun

The act of insulting someone by calling them rude names

noun

Distortion or corruption of the original course, meaning, or state of something.

Usage examples:

The thing which most disturbed him was the perversion of language and truth

noun

Sexual behavior that is considered unnatural and morally wrong

Usage examples:

[ c ] what we’re being shown here is not normal family life, it’s a perversion of that.

verb

Distort or corrupt the original course, meaning, or state of (something).

Usage examples:

He was charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice

noun

A person whose sexual behaviour is regarded as abnormal and unacceptable.

verb

To change something from its correct use or original purpose

Usage examples:

These journalists are perverting the news., the will of the people is being perverted by their elec…

verb

Express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behaviour or actions.

Usage examples:

She had rebuked him for drinking too much

noun

An expression of sharp disapproval or criticism.

Usage examples:

He hadn't meant it as a rebuke, but neil flinched

verb

To criticize someone strongly because you disapprove of what the person has said or done

Usage examples:

He was publicly rebuked for his involvement in the scandal., [ c ] a sharp rebuke

verb

Express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behaviour or actions.

Usage examples:

She had rebuked him for drinking too much

noun

An expression of sharp disapproval or criticism.

Usage examples:

He hadn't meant it as a rebuke, but neil flinched

noun

The expression of blame or disapproval.

Usage examples:

Her behaviour was immature, which attracted her father's reproval

verb

Reprimand (someone).

Usage examples:

He was reproved for obscenity

verb

To tell someone that you disapprove of their bad or silly behaviour

Usage examples:

The teacher gently reproved the boys for not paying attention.

verb

Criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner.

Usage examples:

He was now reviled by the party that he had helped to lead

abbreviation

Second(s).

contraction

Is.

Usage examples:

It's raining

prefix

(used chiefly in oaths) god's.

Usage examples:

'sblood

verb

Remonstrate with or rebuke (someone) angrily.

Usage examples:

Mum took anna away, scolding her for her bad behaviour

noun

A person who nags or grumbles constantly (typically used of a woman).

Usage examples:

His mother was the village scold

verb

Censure severely or angrily

noun

An angry rebuke or reprimand.

Usage examples:

She'd get a scolding from victoria

verb

Remonstrate with or rebuke (someone) angrily.

Usage examples:

Mum took anna away, scolding her for her bad behaviour

noun

The act of speaking angrily to someone because you disapprove of their behaviour

Usage examples:

He gave his son a scolding for coming home so late., she received a scolding letter.

adverb

In a way that relates to the instincts, physiological processes, and activities connected with physical attraction or intimate physical contact between individuals.

Usage examples:

I'm sexually attracted to powerful people

adverb

In a way that relates to the activity of sex

Usage examples:

The research focused on sexually mature birds., three women in the neighborhood were sexually assau…

noun

The action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation.

Usage examples:

He is suing the tv company for slander

verb

Make false and damaging statements about (someone).

Usage examples:

They were accused of slandering the head of state

noun

A false, spoken statement about someone which damages that person's reputation, or the making of such a statement

Usage examples:

[ u ] political campaigns are full of shameless slander., her statement was not meant to slander an…

verb

Speak (words) indistinctly so that the sounds run into one another.

Usage examples:

He was slurring his words like a drunk

noun

An insinuation or allegation about someone that is likely to insult them or damage their reputation.

Usage examples:

The comments were a slur on staff at the hospital

verb

To pronounce the sounds of a word in a way that is wrong or not clear

Usage examples:

Her speech was slurred but she still denied she was drunk.

verb

Speak (words) indistinctly so that the sounds run into one another.

Usage examples:

He was slurring his words like a drunk

noun

An insinuation or allegation about someone that is likely to insult them or damage their reputation.

Usage examples:

The comments were a slur on staff at the hospital

verb

To pronounce words in a way that is not clear

Usage examples:

[ t ] how can you possibly understand someone who slurs his speech?, he apologized for shouting an …

verb

Coat or mark (something) messily or carelessly with a greasy or sticky substance.

Usage examples:

His face was smeared with dirt

noun

A mark or streak of a greasy or sticky substance.

Usage examples:

There was an oil smear on his jacket

verb

Smudge or soil by smudging

noun

The use of offensive language.

Usage examples:

There's a lot of swearing in the show

verb

Make a solemn statement or promise undertaking to do something or affirming that something is the case.

Usage examples:

Maria made me swear i would never tell anyone

idiom

To use an opportunity to achieve results, sometimes in an unfair way

Usage examples:

Let’s take advantage of the good weather and go to the beach., don't you realize that he's taking a…

phrase

To use the good things in a situation

Usage examples:

I thought i'd take advantage of the sports facilities while i'm here., i took advantage of my boss'…

phrase

To treat someone badly in order to get something good from them

Usage examples:

I think she takes advantage of his good nature., i know she's offered to babysit, but i don't want …

noun

A remark made in order to anger, wound, or provoke someone.

Usage examples:

Pupils will play truant rather than face the taunts of classmates about their ragged clothes

verb

Provoke or challenge (someone) with insulting remarks.

Usage examples:

Pupils began taunting her about her weight

verb

Harass with persistent criticism or carping

verb

Find fault with (someone); scold.

Usage examples:

He was upbraided for his slovenly appearance

verb

Find fault with (someone); scold.

Usage examples:

He was upbraided for his slovenly appearance

verb

Present participle of upbraid

Usage examples:

In newspaper articles she consistently upbraided those in authority who overstepped their limits.

noun

Abusively disparaging speech or writing.

Usage examples:

The widespread vilification of politicians

noun

The act of saying or writing unpleasant things about someone or something, in order to cause other people to have a bad opinion of them

Usage examples:

Participants were asked whether they had experienced discrimination or vilification because of thei…

verb

Speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner.

Usage examples:

He has been vilified in the press

verb

To say or write unpleasant things about someone or something, in order to cause other people to have a bad opinion of that person or thing

Usage examples:

He claimed he was unfairly vilified by the press.

noun

Bitter and abusive language.

Usage examples:

No one else attracted such vituperation from him

noun

Language that is full of hate, or angry criticism

Usage examples:

No one else attracted such vituperation from him., the personal vituperation merely illustrated his…