Cruel or inhumane treatment:
— The child showed signs of physical abuse.

synonyms: ill-treatment, ill-usage, maltreatment.

Roget 909: threat, menace; defiance etc. 715; abuse, minacity^†, intimidation; denunciation; fulmination; commination etc. (curse) 908^†; gathering clouds etc. (warning) 668.    ... show more

Roget 961: impurity; uncleanness etc. (filth) 653; immodesty; grossness etc. adj.; indelicacy, indecency; impudicity^†; obscenity, ribaldry, Fescennine, smut, bawdry^†, double entente, equivoque [Fr.].    concupiscence, lust, carnality, flesh, salacity; pruriency, lechery, lasciviency^†, lubricity; Sadism, sapphism^†.    incontinence, intrigue, faux pas [Fr.]; amour, amourette^†; gallantry; debauchery, libertinish^†, libertinage^†, fornication; liaison; wenching, venery, dissipation.    seduction; defloration, defilement, abuse, violation, rape; incest.    prostitution, social evil, harlotry, stupration^†, whoredom, concubinage, cuckoldom^†, adultery, advoutry^†, crim.    con.   ; free love.    seraglio, harem; brothel, bagnio^†, stew, bawdyhouse^†, cat house, lupanar^†, house of ill fame, bordel^†, bordello.    ... show more

Roget 649: hurtfulness etc. adj.; virulence.    evil doer etc. 913; bane etc. 663; plague spot etc. (insalubrity) 657; evil star, ill wind; hoodoo; Jonah; snake in the grass, skeleton in the closet; amari aliquid [Lat.], thorn in the side.    malignity; malevolence etc. 907; tender mercies [Iron.].    ill-treatment, annoyance, molestation, abuse, oppression, persecution, outrage; misusage etc. 679; injury etc. (damage) 659; knockout drops [U.S.].    badness etc. adj.; peccancy^†, abomination; painfulness etc. 830; pestilence etc. (disease) 655; guilt etc. 947; depravity etc. 945.    ... show more

Dutch: mishandeling
Polish: pastwienie się, maltretowanie, znęcanie się, męczenie

A rude expression intended to offend or hurt:
— When a student made a stupid mistake he spared them no abuse.

synonyms: contumely, insult, revilement, vilification.

Roget 908: malediction, malison^†, curse, imprecation, denunciation, execration, anathema, ban, proscription, excommunication, commination^†, thunders of the Vatican, fulmination, maranatha^†; aspersion, disparagement, vilification, vituperation.    abuse; foul language, bad language, strong language, unparliamentary language; billingsgate, sauce, evil speaking; cursing etc. v.; profane swearing, oath; foul invective, ribaldry, rude reproach, scurrility.    threat etc. 909; more bark than bite; invective etc. (disapprobation) 932.    ... show more

Roget 932: disapprobation, disapproval; improbation^†; disesteem, disvaluation^†, displacency^†; odium; dislike etc. 867.    dispraise, discommendation^†; blame, censure, obloquy; detraction etc. 934; disparagement, depreciation; denunciation; condemnation etc. 971; ostracism; black list.    animadversion, reflection, stricture, objection, exception, criticism; sardonic grin, sardonic laugh; sarcasm, insinuation, innuendo; bad compliment, poor compliment, left-handed compliment.    satire; sneer etc. (contempt) 930; taunt etc. (disrespect) 929; cavil, carping, censoriousness; hypercriticism etc. (fastidiousness) 868.    reprehension, remonstrance, expostulation, reproof, reprobation, admonition, increpation^†, reproach; rebuke, reprimand, castigation, jobation^†, lecture, curtain lecture, blow up, wigging, dressing, rating, scolding, trimming; correction, set down, rap on the knuckles, coup de bec [Fr.], rebuff; slap, slap on the face; home thrust, hit; frown, scowl, black look.    diatribe; jeremiad, jeremiade; tirade, philippic.    clamor, outcry, hue and cry; hiss, hissing; sibilance, sibilation, catcall; execration etc. 908.    chiding, upbraiding etc. v.; exprobation^†, abuse, vituperation, invective, objurgation, contumely; hard words, cutting words, bitter words.    evil-speaking; bad language etc. 908; personality.    ... show more

Dutch: spot, affront, belediging, insult, insultatie, krenking, kwetsing, schoffering
Polish: dotknięcie, dyshonor, obraza, epitet, poniżenie, ujma, policzek, zniewaga, znieważenie, afront, obelga, dyzgust ... show more

Improper or excessive use:
— Alcohol abuse.
— The abuse of public funds.

synonym: misuse.

Roget 679: misuse, misusage, misemployment^†, misapplication, misappropriation.    abuse, profanation, prostitution, desecration; waste etc. 638.   

Dutch: mishandeling, beschimpingen, misbruik, wangebruik
Polish: nadużycie

Treat badly:
— This boss abuses his workers.

synonyms: ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, mistreat, step.

Roget 961: be impure etc. adj.; intrigue; debauch, defile, seduce; prostitute; abuse, violate, deflower; commit adultery etc. n.. ... show more

Roget 545: deceive, take in; defraud, cheat, jockey, do, cozen, diddle, nab, chouse, play one false, bilk, cully^†, jilt, bite, pluck, swindle, victimize; abuse; mystify; blind one's eyes; blindfold, hoodwink; throw dust into the eyes; dupe, gull, hoax, fool, befool^†, bamboozle, flimflam, hornswoggle; trick.    impose upon, practice upon, play upon, put upon, palm off on, palm upon, foist upon; snatch a verdict; bluff off, bluff; bunko, four flush [Slang], gum [U.S.], spoof [Slang], stuff (a ballot box) [U.S.].    circumvent, overreach; outreach, out wit, out maneuver; steal a march upon, give the go-by, to leave in the lurch decoy, waylay, lure, beguile, delude, inveigle; entrap, intrap^†, ensnare; nick, springe^†; set a trap, lay a trap, lay a snare for; bait the hook, forelay^†, spread the toils, lime; trapan^†, trepan; kidnap; let in, hook in; nousle^†, nousel^†; blind a trail; enmesh, immesh^†; shanghai; catch, catch in a trap; sniggle, entangle, illaqueate^†, hocus, escamoter^†, practice on one's credulity; hum, humbug; gammon, stuff up [Slang], sell; play a trick upon one, play a practical joke upon one, put something over on one, put one over on; balk, trip up, throw a tub to a whale; fool to the top of one's bent, send on a fool's errand; make game, make a fool of, make an April fool of^†, make an ass of; trifle with, cajole, flatter; come over etc. (influence) 615; gild the pill, make things pleasant, divert, put a good face upon; dissemble etc. 544.    cog, cog the dice, load the dice, stack the deck; live by one's wits, play at hide and seek; obtain money under false pretenses etc. (steal) 791; conjure, juggle, practice chicanery; deacon [U.S.].    play off, palm off, foist off, fob-off.    lie etc. 544; misinform etc. 538; mislead etc. (error) 495; betray etc. 940; be deceived etc. 547.    ... show more

Roget 649: be hurtful etc. adj.; cause evil, produce evil, inflict evil, work evil, do evil etc. 619; damnify^†, endamage^†, hurt, harm; injure etc. (damage) 659; pain etc. 830.    wrong, aggrieve, oppress, persecute; trample upon, tread upon, bear hard upon, put upon; overburden; weigh down, weigh heavy on; victimize; run down; molest etc. 830.    maltreat, abuse; ill-use, ill-treat; buffet, bruise, scratch, maul; smite etc. (scourge) 972; do violence, do harm, do a mischief; stab, pierce, outrage.    do mischief, make mischief; bring into trouble.    destroy etc. 162.    ... show more

Dutch: bewerken, maltraiteren, mishandelen, mislachdelen, toetakelen

Change the inherent purpose or function of something:
— Don't abuse the system.

synonyms: misuse, pervert.

Roget 679: misuse, misemploy, misapply, misappropriate.    desecrate, abuse, profane, prostitute: waste etc. 638; overtask, overtax, overwork: squander etc. 818.    cut blocks with a razor, employ a steam engine to crack a nut; catch at a straw.    ... show more

Dutch: abuseren, misbruiken

Use foul or abusive language towards:
— The actress abused the policeman who gave her a parking ticket.

synonyms: blackguard, clapperclaw, shout.

Roget 932: disapprove; dislike etc. 867; lament etc. 839; object to, take exception to; be scandalized at, think ill of; view with disfavor, view with dark eyes, view with jaundiced eyes; nil admirari [Lat.], disvalue^†; improbate^†.    frown upon, look grave; bend the brows, knit the brows; shake the head at, shrug the shoulders; turn up the nose etc. (contempt) 930; look askance, look black upon; look with an evil eye; make a wry face, make a wry mouth at; set one's face against.    dispraise, discommend^†, disparage; deprecate, speak ill of, not speak well of; condemn etc. (find guilty) 971.    blame; lay blame upon, cast blame upon; censure, fronder [Fr.], reproach, pass censure on, reprobate, impugn.    remonstrate, expostulate, recriminate.    reprehend, chide, admonish; berate, betongue^†; bring to account, call to account, call over the coals, rake over the coals, call to order; take to task, reprove, lecture, bring to book; read a lesson, read a lecture to; rebuke, correct.    reprimand, chastise, castigate, lash, blow up, trounce, trim, laver la tete [Fr.], overhaul; give it one, give it one finely; gibbet.    accuse etc. 938; impeach, denounce; hold up to reprobation, hold up to execration; expose, brand, gibbet, stigmatize; show up, pull up, take up; cry 'shame' upon;" be outspoken; raise a hue and cry against.    execrate etc. 908; exprobate^†, speak daggers, vituperate; abuse, abuse like a pickpocket; scold, rate, objurgate, upbraid, fall foul of; jaw; rail, rail at, rail in good set terms; bark at; anathematize, call names; call by hard names, call by ugly names; avile^†, revile; vilify, vilipend^†; bespatter; backbite; clapperclaw^†; rave against, thunder against, fulminate against; load with reproaches.    exclaim against, protest against, inveigh against, declaim against, cry out against, raise one's voice against.    decry; cry down, run down, frown down; clamor, hiss, hoot, mob, ostracize, blacklist; draw up a round robin, sign a round robin.    animadvert upon, reflect upon; glance at; cast reflection, cast reproach, cast a slur upon; insinuate, damn with faint praise; hint a fault and hesitate dislike;" not to be able to say much for.    scoff at, point at; twit, taunt etc. (disrespect) 929; sneer at etc. (despise) 230; satirize, lampoon; defame etc. (detract) 934; depreciate, find fault with, criticize, cut up; pull to pieces, pick to pieces; take exception; cavil; peck at, nibble at, carp at; be censorious etc. adj.; pick holes, pick a hole, pick a hole in one's coat; make a fuss about.    take down, take down a peg, set down; snub, snap one up, give a rap on the knuckles; throw a stone at, throw a stone in one's garden; have a fling, have a snap at; have words with, pluck a crow with; give one a wipe, give one a lick with the rough side of the give one a lick with the rough side of the tongue.    incur blame, excite disapprobation, scandalize, shock, revolt; get a bad name, forfeit one's good opinion, be under a cloud, come under the ferule, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears.    take blame, stand corrected; have to answer for.    ... show more

Dutch: stijfvloeken, uitfoeteren, uitjouwen, uitkafferen, uitketteren, uitschelden, uitveteren

Use wrongly or improperly or excessively.