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abused. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
abused, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
abused in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
abused you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Verb
abused
- simple past and past participle of abuse
Adjective
abused (comparative more abused, superlative most abused)
- Having been a victim of some form of abuse, most commonly child abuse or domestic violence.
- Overused; used profligately or in excess.
- (obsolete) Deluded, deceived.
c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, page 62, lines 5–7:That be so farre abusyd
They cannot be excusyd
By reason nor by law; […]
Usage notes
The second sense ("Overused; used profligately or in excess") is uncommon except in the phrase much-abused.
Derived terms
Anagrams