abuse

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations noun: /əˈbjuːs/, verb: /əˈbjuːz/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/v. əˈbjuz; n. əˈbjus/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(v. ə byo̅o̅z; n. ə byo̅o̅s)


Inflections of 'abuse' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
abuses
v 3rd person singular
abusing
v pres p
underused
v past
underused
v past p
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WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2025:

Principal Translations
InglésEspañol
abuse [sb] vtr ([sb]: treat badly)maltratar a vtr + prep
  abusar de vi + prep
 He abused his wife for many years before she went to the police.
 Él maltrató a su esposa por muchos años antes de que ella acudiera a la policía.
abuse [sth] vtr (drugs, alcohol: take) (usar en exceso)abusar de vi + prep
 My uncle is in treatment because he abuses alcohol.
 Mi tío está en tratamiento porque abusa del alcohol.
abuse [sth] vtr ([sth]: use wrongly) (algo)abusar de vi + prep
 The dictator is accused of abusing his power.
 El dictador es acusado de abusar de su poder.
abuse [sth] vtr (object, device: misuse)hacer mal uso de loc verb
  maltratar vtr
 Please do not abuse the keyboard by pounding on the keys.
 Por favor no hagas mal uso del teclado aporreando las teclas.
 Por favor no maltrate el teclado aporreando las teclas.
abuse n (insults)abuso nm
  agresión nf
  insultos nm
 The guards did not like the verbal abuse from the shouting prisoners.
 A los guardias no les gustaba el abuso verbal por parte de los prisioneros que gritaban.
abuse n ([sb]: mistreatment)maltrato nm
  abuso nm
 Abuse of the prisoners will not be tolerated.
 El maltrato a los prisioneros no será tolerado.
abuse n ([sb]: physical mistreatment)abuso nm
  maltrato nm
 The police are investigating claims of physical abuse by teachers at a boarding school.
 La policía está investigando las quejas sobre abuso físico cometido por los profesores en el internado.
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WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2025:

Compound Forms:
InglésEspañol
abuse of authority n (corrupt use of power)abuso de poder, abuso de autoridad loc nom m
 Sexual harassment of a subordinate is a boss's abuse of authority.
 El acoso sexual de un subordinado es abuso de poder por parte del jefe.
abuse of discretion n (law: used to review lower court decision)arbitrariedad nf
abuse of law n (law: abuse of procedure)abuso de autoridad loc nom m
  abuso de jurisdicción loc nom m
  abuso de derecho loc nom m
abuse of power n (using authority for own benefit)abuso de poder nm + loc adj
 Violence against children is an abuse of power.
abuse of privilege n (law: improper use of right)abuso de privilegio loc nom m
abuse of process n (law: misuse of court)abuso de proceso loc nom m
  abuso procesal nm + adj mf
child abuse n (violence towards a child) (físico)abuso infantil nm + adj mf
 Social workers and teachers have to look out for evidence of child abuse.
 Los trabajadores sociales y los maestros tienen que estar pendientes de señales de abuso infantil.
  (físico)maltrato infantil nm + adj mf
 Los trabajadores sociales y los maestros tienen que estar pendientes de señales de maltrato infantil.
child abuse n (neglect of a child) (negligencia)abandono nm
 Failing to provide for a child's basic needs is a form of child abuse.
 No cubrir las necesidades básicas es una forma de abandono infantil.
child abuse n (sexual molestation of a child) (sexual)abuso infantil nm + adj mf
 A 36-year-old man has been charged with child abuse and making indecent images of children.
 Un hombre de 36 años ha sido acusado de abuso infantil y de crear imágenes indecentes de menores.
domestic abuse n (violence, etc. in the home) (AmL)abuso doméstico loc nom m
  (ES)violencia doméstica loc nom f
drug abuse n (misuse of drugs)abuso de drogas grupo nom
  consumo de drogas grupo nom
  consumo de estupefacientes grupo nom
 Should drug abuse be punished by law or treated by doctors?
 ¿El abuso de drogas debería ser penado por la ley o tratado por médicos?
emotional abuse n (psychological mistreatment)abuso emocional nm
 The child has suffered continuous emotional abuse while under the care of his aunt.
 Esta oración no es una traducción de la original. El abuso emocional es difícil de detectar.
  maltrato psicológico nm
 Esta oración no es una traducción de la original. El niño presenta signos evidentes de maltrato psicológico.
fling abuse at [sb] v expr informal (insult [sb] aggressively) (AR)putear a vtr + prep
  insultar a vtr + prep
 The football players flung abuse at the opposing team after a flagrant foul.
a hail of abuse n (burst of insults)catarata de insultos grupo nom
 The politician suffered a hail of abuse from the crowd.
malicious abuse of legal process n (improper use of law)utilización ilegal de un proceso judicial nf + loc adj
physical abuse n (violence)abuso físico nm + adj
 The social worker said that the child had suffered severe physical abuse.
 La trabajadora social dijo que el niño había sido víctima de varios abusos físicos.
self-abuse n (harming yourself)autolesión nf
  autoagresión nf
self-abuse n euphemism (masturbation)masturbación nf
sexual abuse,
sex abuse
n
(indecent assault)abuso sexual nm + adj
 Jacobs is facing a charge of sexual abuse.
 Jacob enfrenta cargos por abuso sexual.
substance abuse n (drug or alcohol overuse)drogodependencia nf
  toxicomanía nf
  abuso de sustancias loc nom m
term of abuse n (offensive or derogatory expression)insulto, agravio nm
 "Chav" is a term of abuse aimed almost exclusively at the white poor.
torrent of abuse n figurative (outpouring of insults)torrente de insultos grupo nom
  parva de insultos grupo nom
 The man subjected the police officer to a torrent of abuse.
verbal abuse n (insulting, shouting at [sb])insulto nm
 When the teacher told him to be quiet, the boy responded with verbal abuse.
 Cuando la maestra le dijo que se tranquilizara, el chico respondió con un insulto.
  maltrato de palabra grupo nom
  insolencia nf
  agresión verbal grupo nom
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'abuse' aparece también en las siguientes entradas:
In the English description:
Spanish:

Collocations: [the priest, a relative, a stranger] abused him, [alcohol, substance, drug] abuse, abuse [prevention, treatment, hotline], more...

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