misuse
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Related to misuse: substance misuse
mis·use
(mĭs-yo͞oz′)tr.v. mis·used, mis·us·ing, mis·us·es
1. To use incorrectly.
2. To mistreat or abuse. See Synonyms at abuse.
n. (-yo͞os′)
Improper, unlawful, or incorrect use; misapplication.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
misuse
n
1. erroneous, improper, or unorthodox use: misuse of words.
2. cruel or inhumane treatment
vb (tr)
3. to use wrongly
4. to treat badly or harshly
5. (Medicine) to use (something, esp alcohol, drugs, etc) improperly
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
mis•use
(n. mɪsˈyus; v. -ˈyuz)n., v. -used, -us•ing. n.
1. wrong or improper use; misapplication.
v.t. 2. to use incorrectly or improperly: to misuse a word.
3. to treat badly or abusively; mistreat: to misuse a friend.
mis•us′er, n.
[1350–1400]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
misuse
Past participle: misused
Gerund: misusing
| Imperative |
|---|
| misuse |
| misuse |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  misuse - improper or excessive use; "alcohol abuse"; "the abuse of public funds"usage, use, utilisation, utilization, exercise, employment - the act of using; "he warned against the use of narcotic drugs"; "skilled in the utilization of computers" |
| Verb | 1. |  misuse - apply to a wrong thing or person; apply badly or incorrectly; "The words are misapplied in this context"; "You are misapplying the name of this religious group"apply, employ, use, utilise, utilize - put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't use this tool"; "Apply a magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer" |
| 2. |  misuse - change the inherent purpose or function of something; "Don't abuse the system"; "The director of the factory misused the funds intended for the health care of his workers"fracture - violate or abuse; "This writer really fractures the language" take in vain - use a name, such as God, without proper respect |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
misuse
noun
1. waste, embezzlement, squandering, dissipation, fraudulent use, misemployment, misusage the misuse of public funds
2. abuse, corruption, exploitation the misuse of power
3. misapplication, abuse, illegal use, wrong use the misuse of drugs in sport
4. perversion, distortion, desecration, profanation Being a born-again Christian is a deplorable misuse of a faith.
5. misapplication, solecism, malapropism, catachresis his hilarious misuse of words
6. mistreatment, abuse, harm, exploitation, injury, manhandling, ill-treatment, maltreatment, rough handling, inhumane treatment, cruel treatment, ill-usage the history of the misuse of Aborigines
verb
1. abuse, misapply, misemploy, prostitute She misused her position in the government.
2. waste, squander, dissipate, embezzle, misappropriate The committee has cleared leaders of misusing funds.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
misuse
nounWrong, often corrupt use:
1. To use wrongly and improperly:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يَسْتَعْمِل بِصورةٍ خاطِئَهيُسيء اسْتِعْماليُعامِل بِصورةٍ سَيِّئَه
špatné použitíšpatně užívatšpatně zacházet
misbrugmisbrugemishandle
helytelen felhasználáshelytelenül használrossz célra használ fel
misnotarangnotaröng notkun; misnotkun
netinkamai naudotinetinkamai pasielgti sunetinkamas naudojimasnetinkamas vartojimas
nepareiza/ļaunprātīga lietošana
nesprávne použitienesprávne používať
kötü davranmakkötüye kullanmaksuiistimal etmekyanlış kullanmak
misuse
[ˌmɪsˈjuːs]A. N [of power, drug] → abuso m; [of machine] → mal uso m or manejo m; [of word, language] → uso m incorrecto; [of funds] → malversación f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
misuse
[ˌmɪsˈjuːs] [ˌmɪsˈjuːz] vt
[+ resources, funds] → faire un mauvais usage de
He wanted to prevent science from being misused
BUT Il voulait empêcher la science d'être utilisée à de mauvaises fins.
He wanted to prevent science from being misused
BUT Il voulait empêcher la science d'être utilisée à de mauvaises fins.
[+ drugs, alcohol] → abuser de
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
misuse
n → Missbrauch m; (of words) → falscher Gebrauch; (of funds) → Zweckentfremdung f; misuse of power/authority → Macht-/Amtsmissbrauch m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
misuse
[n ˌmɪsˈjuːs; vb ˌmɪsˈjuːz]1. n (of power, authority) → abuso; (of word, tool) → uso improprio; (of resources, time, energies) → cattivo uso
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
misuse
(misˈjuːs) noun (a) wrong or bad use. the misuse of company money; The machine was damaged by misuse.
ˌmisˈuse (-ˈjuːz) verb1. to use wrongly.
2. to treat badly.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.