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/əbjˈusɪv/ Listen

adjective

Abusive adj.

Wrongly used; perverted; misapplied. "I am... necessitated to use the word Parliament improperly, according to the abusive acceptation thereof."

Given to misusing; also, full of abuses. (Archaic) "The abusive prerogatives of his see."

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

Containing abuse, or serving as the instrument of abuse; vituperative; reproachful; scurrilous. "An abusive lampoon."

Tending to deceive; fraudulent; cheating. (Obs.) "An abusive treaty."

Synonyms: Reproachful; scurrilous; opprobrious; insolent; insulting; injurious; offensive; reviling.

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Etymology of 'Abusive'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Abusive" Quotes from Famous Books

... Pao-yue chimed in, "give her this abusive epithet? But however much she may make allowance for this, can she, when there are so many others who tell idle tales on her account, put up with your coming and telling her ...

— Hung Lou Meng, Book II • Cao Xueqin

... surrendered to us, and our consequent right to keep possession for the king of England, which we were determined upon doing to the utmost of our power, wishing them to be well advised in their proceedings, as they might expect to be shortly called to answer for their abusive words and injurious conduct to the English. We also demanded the restoration of Puloway, which had likewise been lawfully surrendered to the king of England. After this, we enquired if they had received any previous ...

— A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume IX. • Robert Kerr

... the tribulation. He was in a state of the highest Paddy excitement. He grinned and bounced like a caravan of monkeys. But he was not much scared; he was mainly in a furious rage. Pointing his musket first at one and then at another, he returned yell for yell, and was in fact abusive. ...

— Overland • John William De Forest

... liturgy has met with such persistent, abusive, and often ignorant criticism as her hymns ...

— The Divine Office • Rev. E. J. Quigley

... on board, I was invited below by Bolidar, where I found they had emptied the case of liquors, and broken a cheese to pieces and crumbled it on the table and cabin floor; the pirates, elated with their prize (as they called it), had drank so much as to make them desperately abusive. I was permitted to lie down in my berth; but, reader, if you have ever been awakened by a gang of armed, desperadoes, who have taken possession of your habitation in the midnight hour, you can imagine my feelings.—Sleep was a stranger ...

— The Pirates Own Book • Charles Ellms

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