wrong or improper use; misapplication.

Obsolete . bad or abusive treatment.

to use wrongly or improperly; misapply.

to treat badly or abusively; maltreat.

verb

use correctly

noun

abusage , barbarism , catachresis , corruption , cruel treatment , desecration , dissipation , exploitation , harm , ill-treatment , injury , malapropism , maltreatment , misapplication , misemployment , mistreatment , misusage , perversion , profanation , prostitution , rough handling , solecism , squandering , wastenotes:abuse carries with it some sense of harm; misuse refers to an incorrect use that may not lead to harmto misuse is to use something wrongly , to abuse is to misuse something so badly that you damage it , misappropriation , mishandling

verb

blow * , brutalize , corrupt , cut up , desecrate , dissipate , exploit , go through , handle roughly , ill-treat , maltreat , maul , mess up * , misapply , misemploy , mistreat , molest , outrage , pervert , profane , prostitute , run through * , shake up , squander , waste , wrongnotes:abuse carries with it some sense of harm; misuse refers to an incorrect use that may not lead to harmto misuse is to use something wrongly , to abuse is to misuse something so badly that you damage it , misappropriate , mishandle , ill-use , abuse , defalcate , embezzle , misapplication , negligence