Crossword Dictionary
ABUSe
abuse - v
use wrongly or improperly or excessively; "Her husband often abuses alcohol"; "while she was pregnant, she abused drugs"
Synonyms
beat up, corrupt, harm, impair, maltreat, mistreat, misuse, molest, persecute, victimize, violate, damage, defile, deprave, desecrate, hose, ill-treat, mar, mishandle, oppress, pollute, roughhouse, ruin, spoil, taint, total, wax
Examples
You can't abuse your power.
Try not to abuse the privilege of being allowed more freedom.
The family said they had endured years of torment and abuse at the hands of the neighbours.
Etymology
early 15c., "to misuse, misapply" (power, money, etc.), from Old French abuser "deceive, abuse, misuse" (14c.), from Vulgar Latin *abusare, from Latin abusus "an abusing; a using up," past participle of abuti "use up, consume," also "to misuse, abuse, misapply, outrage," from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + uti "use" (see use).