Abusive

Abusive
Abusive A*bu"sive, a. [Cf. F. abusif, fr. L. abusivus.] 1. Wrongly used; perverted; misapplied. [1913 Webster]

I am . . . necessitated to use the word Parliament improperly, according to the abusive acceptation thereof. --Fuller. [1913 Webster]

2. Given to misusing; also, full of abuses. [Archaic] ``The abusive prerogatives of his see.'' --Hallam. [1913 Webster]

3. Practicing abuse; prone to ill treat by coarse, insulting words or by other ill usage; as, an abusive author; an abusive fellow. [1913 Webster]

4. Containing abuse, or serving as the instrument of abuse; vituperative; reproachful; scurrilous. ``An abusive lampoon.'' --Johnson. [1913 Webster]

5. Tending to deceive; fraudulent; cheating. [Obs.] ``An abusive treaty.'' --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Reproachful; scurrilous; opprobrious; insolent; insulting; injurious; offensive; reviling. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • abusive — abu·sive /ə byü siv, ziv/ adj 1: characterized by wrong or improper use or action abusive tax shelters 2: inflicting verbal or physical abuse abusive parents abu·sive·ly adv Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of L …   Law dictionary

  • abusive — abusive, opprobrious, vituperative, contumelious, scurrilous apply chiefly to language or utterances and to persons as they employ such language: the words agree in meaning coarse, insulting, and contemptuous in character or utterance. Abusive… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • abusive — UK US /əˈbjuːsɪv/ adjective ► using rude and offensive words: »She was sacked for sending an abusive email to a colleague. »abusive calls/comments/language ► involving bad or wrong use of something or treatment of someone, especially for your own …   Financial and business terms

  • Abusive — (lat.), s. u. Abusus …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Abusīve — (lat.), mißbräuchlich …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • abusive — (adj.) 1530s (implied in abusively), originally improper, from Fr. abusif, from L. abusivus, from abus , pp. stem of abuti (see ABUSE (Cf. abuse) (v.)). Meaning full of abuse is from 1580s. Abuseful was used 17c., and Shakespeare has abusious (… …   Etymology dictionary

  • abusive — [adj] exhibiting unkind behavior or words calumniating, castigating, censorious, contumelious, defamatory, derisive, disparaging, insolent, insulting, invective, libelous, maligning, obloquious, offensive, opprobrious, reproachful, reviling, rude …   New thesaurus

  • abusive — ► ADJECTIVE 1) extremely offensive and insulting. 2) involving cruelty and violence. DERIVATIVES abusively adverb abusiveness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • abusive — [ə byo͞o′siv; ] also [, ə byo͞o′ziv] adj. [Fr abusif < L abusivus < abusus: see ABUSE] 1. involving or characterized by abuse or misuse; abusing; mistreating 2. coarse and insulting in language; scurrilous; harshly scolding abusively adv.… …   English World dictionary

  • abusive — [[t]əbju͟ːsɪv[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED Someone who is abusive behaves in a cruel and violent way towards other people. He became violent and abusive toward Ben s mother. ...her cruel and abusive husband. 2) ADJ GRADED Abusive language is extremely rude …   English dictionary

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