abuse

1. Misuse, wrong use, especially excessive use, of anything. 2. Injurious, harmful, or offensive treatment, as in child a. or sexual a.

- child a. the psychological, emotional, and sexual a. of a child, typically by a parent, stepparent, or parent surrogate. See domestic violence.

- drug a. habitual use of drugs not needed for therapeutic purposes, such as solely to alter one's mood, affect, or state of consciousness, or to affect a body function unnecessarily (as in laxative a.); nontherapeutic use of drugs.

- elder a. the physical or emotional a., including financial exploitation, of an elderly person, by one or more of the individual's children, nursing home caregivers, or others.

- sexual a. See domestic violence.

- spouse a., spousal a. See domestic violence.

- substance a. maladaptive pattern of use of a drug, alcohol, or other chemical agent that may lead to social, occupational, psychological, or physical problems.

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abuse ə-'byüs n

1) improper or excessive use or treatment <drug \abuse> <long-term \abuse of tranquilizers>

2) physical maltreatment: as

a) the act of violating sexually: RAPE

b) under some statutes rape or indecent assault not amounting to rape

abuse ə-'byüz vt, abused; abus·ing

1) to use excessively <\abuse alcohol> also to use without medical justification <abusing painkillers>

2) to treat so as to injure or damage <\abuse a child>

3 a) MASTURBATE

b) to subject to abuse and esp. to rape or indecent assault

abus·able -'byü-zə-bəl adj

abus·er n

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(ə-būsґ) misuse or wrong use, particularly excessive use of anything.