[a. Fr. abuse-r (cf. Pr. and Sp. abusar, It. abusare), pointing to a popular L. *abūsā-re, f. abūs-us, pa. pple. of abūt-i, 1. to use up, 2. to misuse, 3. (late L.) to disuse, f. ab away + ūti, ūsus to USE.]
† 1. Sc. To disuse, give up. Obs.
1471. Parl. Jas. III. (1814), 100 (Jam.). At [= That] the futbal and golf be abusit in tym cummyng, & the buttis maid up, & schuting usit.
2. To use improperly, to misuse; to make a bad use of, to pervert, or misemploy; to take a bad advantage of.
1413. Lydgate, Pylg. Sowle (1859), I. xv. 12. Wel thou wost who that me hath abused, myn enemy, that hath me now accused.
1483. Caxton, Cato, g viij. Thou oughtest to dyspende thy goodes by mesure … to thende that men sayen not that thou abusest them.
1581. Lyly, Euphues (1636), E. x. How wantonly, yea and how willingly haue we abused our golden time.
1611. Bible, 1 Cor. ix. 18. That I abuse not my power in the Gospel.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, C vj. a. With more I shall not presume to abuse your Lordships patience.
1771. Junius Lett., lxi. 317. The liberty of the press may be abused.
1829. Scott, Rob Roy, i. 64. I dare not promise that I may not abuse the opportunity so temptingly offered me.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. x. 503. Restoring his brother to the authority which he had so abused.
† b. To use in error, to mistake. Obs.
1548. Turner, Names of Herbes, 29. Cholchicum is abused of some Poticaries for Hermodactylus. Ibid. (1551), Herbal (1568), I. 41. Some have abused long smallage for persely, wherein they have been deceived.
† 3. To misrepresent, color falsely; to adulterate. refl. To show oneself in false colors, to make false pretensions. Obs.
c. 1430. Lydgate, Bochas (1554), IX. iii. 197 b. With litle grayn, your chaffe ye can abuse.
1509. Hawes, Past. of Pleas., xviii. 84. O goodd madame! though that they abused Them to theyr ladyes in theyr great deceyte, Yet am I true.
1697. View of Penal Laws, 243. None selling Wines in Gross shall abuse or mix any of them with other Ingredients.
1702. Eng. Theophr., Pref. How miserably that noble author has been abused by his Translators.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones (1840), XVII. ii. 243/2. He hath been abused, grossly abused to you.
† 4. To make a wrong use of any one’s confidence; to impose upon, cheat, or deceive (a person). Obs. but preserved in the negative disabuse.
1481. Caxton, Myrrour, II. ix. 87. Wherof … the maronners saylling by this see ben gretely deceyued and abused.
1553. Lyndesay, Mon., I. 1004. Rychtso the woman hir excusit, And said: ‘the serpent me abusit.’
1649. Jer. Taylor, Great Exemp., III. xvii. 65. He was abused into the act by a Prophet.
1702. Eng. Theophr., 248. A Prince that desires by means of his Ambassador to deceive any other Prince, must first abuse his own Ambassador, to the end he should speak with the more earnestness.
1776. Wesley, Wks., 1830, IV. 39. Many saw how miserably they had been abused by those vulgarly called Gospel Preachers.
† b. refl. and pass. To be deceived, mistaken. To be abused upon or in: to form a mistaken idea of, to fall into error about. Obs.
1477. Caxton, Jason, 41 b. If ye juge the disposition of my body after the colour of my face ye be gretly abused.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froissart, II. ccxxiv. [ccxx.] 703. The Christen men were abused vpon ii. popes … some beleuyng on the one pope, and some vpon the other. Ibid., ccxxv. [ccxxi.] 704. [He] had great dout that he was sore abused in those two popes.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. 41. You are much abused if you think your vertue can withstand the Kings power.
1660. Howell. Thou dost abuse thyself grossly: Tu t’abuses tout a fait.
a. 1718. Penn, Tracts, Wks. 1726, I. 766. That so we may not profane the name of God … nor abuse our selues unto Eternal Perdition.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), VII. XVII. 305. To see themselves abused in the hopes they had entertained.
5. To ill-use or maltreat; to injure, wrong, or hurt.
1556. W. Lauder, Tractate, 331. And, geue thay haue the floke abusit, Ȝe, Kyngs, sall be for that accusit.
1611. Bible, 2 Mac. xiv. 42. Chusing rather to die manfully, then to come into the hands of the wicked to be abused otherwise then beseemed his noble birth.
1662. Fuller, Worthies, 117. He that abuseth his servants, giving them too little food or sleep.
1691. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), II. 315. The duke of Norfolke was abused in the fray at the playhouse.
1756. Burke, Vind. Nat. Soc., Wks. I. 39. In this kind of government human nature is not only abused and insulted, but it is actually degraded.
Mod. It is the characteristic of the English drunkard to abuse his wife and family.
6. To violate, ravish, defile. ? Obs.
1553. Lyndesay, Monarche, I. 1236. Quhow men and wemen schamefullye Abusit thame selfis vnnaturallye.
1611. Bible, Judg. xix. 25. And abused her all the night vntil the morning.
1767. Fordyce, Serm. to Yng. Women, I. i. 9. He that abuses you dishonours his mother.
7. To wrong with words; to speak injuriously of or to; to malign, revile. a. trans.
1604. Shaks., Oth., V. i. 123. I am no Strumpet, but of life as honest, As you that thus abuse me.
1705. Otway, Orphan, II. iv. 564. What have I done? and why do you abuse me?
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., II. 52. A preface in which the Pope was abused in the most virulent terms.
b. intr.
1468. Coventry Myst. (1841), 73. Whow durste thou amonge fruteful presume and abuse?
