misusen.
/ˌmɪsˈjuːs/, U.S. /ˌmɪsˈjus/ 1.
a. Wrong or improper use; misapplication; an instance of this.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > misuse > [noun]
abusion?1387
misusing1395
misusea1398
abusingc1450
abuse?1473
misordering1526
abusage1548
misusage1567
misemployment1597
missaw1614
misimprovement1644
abusivenessa1677
misemploying1686
violation1795
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 19v Isider seiþ, by a mys vse ‘homo’, a man, haþ þe name of ‘humo’, þe erþe.
?c1475 Catholicon Anglicum (BL Add. 15562) f. 81v Misevse, Abusio.
1530 Myroure Oure Ladye (Fawkes) (1873) ii. 88 To be ware, leaste by mysvse of oure free wylle we falle in blyndnesse.
1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xxiii. 226 All this inconuenience grew by misuse of one word, which being otherwise spoken & in some sort qualified, had easily holpen all.
1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding iii. x. 244 How much names taken for Things, are apt to mislead the Vnderstanding,..and that, perhaps, in Words little suspected of any such misuse.
1708 F. Atterbury 14 Serm. 431 Lest he should punish our misuse of his Mercies, by stopping the Course of them.
1749 D. Hartley Observ. Man ii. iv. §3. 391 A great Misuse of Time to dwell upon such Speculations.
1810 S. T. Coleridge Friend (ed. 3) III. 221 The proverb is current by a misuse, or a catachresis at least, of both the words, fortune and fools.
1859 C. Dickens Tale of Two Cities ii. xiii. 99 If it had been possible, Miss Manette, that you could have returned the love of the man you see before you—self-flung away, wasted, drunken, poor creature of misuse as you know him to be.
1885 Manch. Examiner 28 Mar. 5/4 The gross misuse of his public position for private profit.
1915 Nation (N.Y.) 11 Feb. 161/2 We do not know when we have witnessed so disgusting a misuse of Federal authority.
1973 W. Barlow Alexander Princ. iii. 33 The typist may sit in the statistically perfect chair, but her basic habits of mis-use still persist.
1987 Q Oct. 102/4 The word ‘classic’ is prone to wild misuse.
b. spec. The non-therapeutic, improper, or excessive use of a drug. Cf. abuse n. 2a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > [noun]
habit1887
misuse1890
sleigh-ride1925
sleigh-riding1934
scoring1967
substance abuse1967
1890 A. Lang Old Friends xvi. 135 The wanton misuse, or rather the misuseful wantonness, of the Indian herb [sc. tobacco].
1967 Brit. Jrnl. Psychiatry 113 214/1 During March, 1964 the British national press carried reports alleging misuse of anti-parkinsonian drugs amongst young persons.
1990 Health Educ. Jrnl. 49 156 Scotland..has just issued its consultative document, setting targets for Scotland on such subjects as CHD, cancer, smoking and alcohol misuse.
1997 Independent 25 June 15/7 (letter) HFC 134a has potential for deliberate misuse as a drug.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > misbehaviour > [noun]
misgovernancec1375
misleadinga1387
misusing1395
misbearinga1400
misordinancea1400
misdraughtc1450
misgovernmentc1450
misbehaving1451
misguiding1480
misbehaviour1486
misdemeaning1487
misgoverning1487
miscraft1496
demerit1509
misuse1509
misdemeanoura1513
misordera1513
misordering1526
misusage1532
misdemean1579
miscarriage1594
misguide1596
delinquency1603
demeanour1681
misconduct1717
society > morality > moral evil > wrong conduct > [noun]
fiend-thewsc1275
misgovernancec1375
misusing1395
misrule?1406
misgovernmentc1450
misguiding1480
thowlessness1489
miscraft1496
demerit1509
misuse1509
misdemeanoura1513
prevarication1561
misguide1596
malconduct1684
misconduct1717
malversation1752
misdealing1851
1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. ccxlvi Let these Folys auoyde this mad mysuse And folowe the right way of vertuous grauyte.
1554 in J. Strype Eccl. Memorials (1721) III. xviii. 47 Thus plainly ye se one mischievous misuse in this mass.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1623) iv. ii. 112 How haue I bin behau'd, that he might sticke The small'st opinion on my least misvse?
3. Ill-treatment. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > ill-treatment > [noun]
mishandlinga1393
deraya1400
villainya1400
outraya1425
mistreating1453
mispersoning1522
misentreating1531
misusing1548
misusage1555
misuse1591
abuse1595
hard measure1611
ill usage1621
evil-usage1645
ill-treatment1667
maltreatment1702
mistreatment1716
punishment1811
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > harshness > [noun] > treatment embodying
unkindnessc1390
mishandlinga1393
mistreating1453
misusage1555
misuse1591
ill-treatment1667
maltreatment1702
mistreatment1716
1591–2 Baillie Court Bk. St. Andrews & Deerness 21 Mar. in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue (at cited word) The gryt misws of the said Margaret..be the said Agnes..quhairbye scho is bittin throw the lip.
1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 i. i. 43 Vpon whose dead corpes there was such misuse, Such beastly shamelesse transformation By those Welch-women done. View more context for this quotation
1881 A. C. Swinburne Mary Stuart i. i. 10 The Catholics naked here to all misuse Fall off in numbered force, in means and power.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
misusev.
/ˌmɪsˈjuːz/, U.S. /ˌmɪsˈjuz/ 1.
a. transitive. To use wrongly or improperly; to apply to a wrong purpose.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > misuse > [verb (transitive)]
misnote?c1225
disusec1380
misusea1382
abusec1430
misbehave?1529
misemploy1609
misdemeana1625
misimprove1648
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) Esther xiii. 2 I wolde not þe mykilnesse of my power mys-vsen [L. abuti], but with mercy & softenesse gouernen þe soogetis.
c1400 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 252 (MED) Many men mysosiþ her power.
?a1425 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. iv. pr. vii. 28 The comune word of men..mysuseth this manere speche of fortune.
1486 Bk. St. Albans sig. dij Som folke mysuse this terme draw.
a1500 (a1475) G. Ashby Dicta Philosophorum 378 in Poems (1899) 59 What dishonnour is to hym..That mysguideth his liuelode..And al his reuenues mysvseth!
1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 iv. ii. 13 I haue misused the kinges presse damnablie. View more context for this quotation
1620 Hist. Fr. Rush in W. J. Thoms Early Eng. Prose Romances (1858) I. 289 He had so vildly misused the order of his religion.
1656 J. Trapp Comm. Eph. i. 5 The doctrine of predestination was much misused and exagitated.
1754 T. Gardner Hist. Acct. Dunwich xix. 111 At the House is a Stone Coffin misused for a Trough.
1765 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. I. 244 A king cannot misuse his power, without the advice of evil counsellors.
1842 Ld. Tennyson Godiva in Poems (new ed.) II. 115 The Powers, who wait On noble deeds, cancell'd a sense misused.
1859 ‘G. Eliot’ Adam Bede I. i. v. 107 It turns a man's stomach t' hear the Scripture misused i' that way.
1902 W. James Varieties Relig. Experience xviii Neither his justice nor his goodness obliging Him to prevent the recipients of freedom from misusing the gift.
1991 J. Kingdom Local Govt. & Politics in Brit. i. 13 The councillors would be surcharged (that is, required by the courts to pay back the money misused).
b. transitive. spec. To take (a drug) excessively, improperly, or for non-therapeutic purposes. Cf. abuse v. 1a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > take drugs [verb (transitive)]
abuse1901
drop1966
do1969
misuse1970
1970 Daily Tel. 28 Apr. 2/3 An early warning system to alert doctors of the latest drug, Mandrax, being misused has been called for.
1988 Which? July 332/2 It's only a minority of people who have tried drugs who go on to misuse them regularly.
1991 Canoeist (BNC) Oct. 20 The book opens with an explanation of..how drugs are misused.
1995 Guardian 18 Oct. i. 8/7 The notorious ‘jellies’, the gelatin-filled capsules widely misused as ‘downers’ by addicts.
2.
a. transitive. To subject to ill-treatment; to treat badly.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > harshness > [verb (transitive)]
misbedeOE
wait1303
beshrewc1325
misusea1382
mistreat1453
mishandle1530
misorder1550
mumble1588
maltreat1681
ill-treat1794
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > ill-treatment > ill-treat [verb (transitive)]
tuckc888
tawc893
misbedeOE
graithc1330
to fare fair or foul with1340
misusea1382
outrayc1390
beshrewc1430
huspelc1440
misentreat1450
mistreat1453
abuse?1473
to mayne evil1481
demean1483
to put (a person) to villainya1513
harry1530
mishandle1530
touse1531
misorder1550
worrya1556
yark1565
mumble1588
buse1589
crow-tread1593
disabuse1607
maltreat1681
squeeze1691
ill-treat1794
punish1801
tousle1826
ill-use1841
razoo1890
mess1896
to play horse with1896
to bugger about1921
slug1925
to give (a person) the works1927
to kick about or around1938
mess1963
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1965) Ecclus. xxvi. 13 In a doȝter not turnyng awei hirself fastne warde, lest ocasioun founden she mysvse hirself [L. utatur se].
c1450 in Publ. Mod. Lang. Assoc. Amer. (1925) 40 246 (MED) We misseusen al þes creaturs..we distroy hem eche day.
1540 in R. G. Marsden Select Pleas Court Admiralty (1894) I. 99 With moche other wrongs and injuries that I and other hath been mysused in tymes past.
1553 Act 1 Mary Sess. 2. c. 3 §1 Yf any person..shall..molest..disquiet or misuse, any Preachour.
1625 S. Purchas Pilgrimes II. 1173 I was taken by the Turks and misused and almost slain.
1632 in S. R. Gardiner Rep. Cases Star Chamber & High Comm. (1886) 128 Whereupon Walton beat the prisoner, haleing and dragginge him towardes the common goale, and otherwise misused him.
1782 W. Cowper Hope in Poems 148 Men deal with life, as children with their play, Who first misuse, then cast their toys away.
1841 C. Dickens Barnaby Rudge lvi. 261 They haven't been misusing you with sticks, or pokers..have they, Johnny?
1884 Ld. Tennyson Becket i. iv. 78 Who misuses a dog would misuse a child—they cannot speak for themselves.
1897 W. Beatty Secretar 414 He had the ill-fortune to see a gentlemen being misused by some souldiers.
1906 J. Galsworthy Man of Prop. 47 The innumerable occasions on which Fortune had misused her.
1980 A. J. Blignaut Dead End Road 26 At that time you could shoot an arrow into someone who had misused you.
b. transitive. To violate (a woman). Later gen. (U.S.): to abuse (a person) sexually.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > loss of chastity > deprive of chastity [verb (transitive)] > rape
to do (a) shamec1275
afforcec1330
beforcec1375
misusea1382
oppressa1382
enforcec1386
ravisha1387
forcea1400
betravaila1425
trespass1427
supprisea1450
violatec1450
viole?c1450
stuprate?1526
devour1530
stupre1548
constuprate1550
rape1574
suppress1590
harry1591
constrain1594
abripe1623
obstuprate1658
spoil1678
to rip off1967
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) Judges xix. 25 Þe whiche whan al nyȝt þei hadden mys-vsyd, þei laftyn hir erly.
a1464 J. Capgrave Abbreuiacion of Cron. (Cambr. Gg.4.12) (1983) 156 Þese knytes..cleped up þe kyng, and told him who Mortimer..mysused his moder þe qween.
1538 J. Bale Tragedye Promyses God v Of late dayes thu hast mysused Bersabe, The wyfe of Urye.
c1540 W. Sampson in Old Ways (1892) 106 Bicause I have myseused here, I intende to make [her] a goode woman.
1991 Police Nov. 56/2 ‘Man, I really misused that motherfucker,’ he replied. ‘I made a bitch out of him before I killed his ass.’
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > deceive [verb (transitive)]
aschrenchc885
blendc888
swikec950
belirtOE
beswike971
blencha1000
blenka1000
belieOE
becatchc1175
trokec1175
beguile?c1225
biwrench?c1225
guile?c1225
trechec1230
unordainc1300
blink1303
deceivec1320
feintc1330
trechetc1330
misusea1382
blind1382
forgo1382
beglose1393
troil1393
turnc1405
lirt?a1425
abuse?a1439
ludify1447
amuse1480
wilec1480
trump1487
delude?a1505
sile1508
betrumpa1522
blear1530
aveugle1543
mislippen1552
pot1560
disglose1565
oversile1568
blaze1570
blirre1570
bleck1573
overtake1581
fail1590
bafflea1592
blanch1592
geck?a1600
hallucinate1604
hoodwink1610
intrigue1612
guggle1617
nigglea1625
nose-wipe1628
cog1629
cheat1637
flam1637
nurse1639
jilt1660
top1663
chaldese1664
bilk1672
bejuggle1680
nuzzlec1680
snub1694
bite1709
nebus1712
fugle1719
to take in1740
have?1780
quirk1791
rum1812
rattlesnake1818
chicane1835
to suck in1842
mogue1854
blinker1865
to have on1867
mag1869
sleight1876
bumfuzzle1878
swop1890
wool1890
spruce1917
jive1928
shit1934
smokescreen1950
dick1964
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1965) Ecclus. xv. 36 Fro þi flesh kut hir awei, lest euermor sche mys-vse þee.
1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing ii. ii. 25 Proofe enough, to misuse the prince, to vexe Claudio,..and kill Leonato. View more context for this quotation
1601 W. Cornwallis Ess. II. xxxii. sig. S3v Wee are misvsed by these spirites both night and day.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > behave badly [verb (reflexive)]
misbearc1300
misguyc1375
misleada1393
misrulea1393
misgovernc1400
misordera1450
misbehave1475
misdemeana1525
mishave1528
misuse1532
dismeanor1598
misdemeanour1620
misconduct1812
1532 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxf. (1880) 109 For the Mysvsage of Seriaunts...Yf any of the serjaunts..doth mysusse themselfe, or geve not attendans to the Mayre, Aldermen, and Bayllyffs.
a1541 Countess of Salisbury Let. in M. A. E. Wood Lett. Royal & Illustrious Ladies (1846) I. 309 Truly she misused herself in giving you any such knowledge on my behalf, for I assure you that I did give unto her no commandment so to do.
1581 W. Lambarde Eirenarcha i. xxi. 192 If any such person..shall bee taken begging, or wandring, or missusing hymselfe.
?a1600 ( R. Sempill Legend Bischop St. Androis in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xlv. 385 I schame to tell Sa oft as I misvsit my sell, In guyding of the giftis of grace.
1601 in W. B. Cook & D. B. Morris Stirling Guildry Bk. (1916) 16 He personallie sauld merchandise..and sua..hes misusit him self.
1605 W. Camden Remaines 211 [The King] caused him to repaire to his presence, requiring of him for what cause he had so mis-used himselfe.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > invective or abuse > abuse [verb (transitive)]
vilea1300
rebutc1330
revilea1393
arunt1399
stainc1450
brawl1474
vituper1484
rebalk1501
to call (rarely to speak) (all) to naught1542
rattle1542
vituperate1542
bedaub1570
beray1576
bespurt1579
wring1581
misuse1583
caperclaw1589
abuse1592
rail1592
exagitate1593
to shoot atc1595
belabour1596
to scour one's mouth on1598
bespurtle1604
conviciate1604
scandala1616
delitigate1623
betongue1639
bespatter1644
rant1647
palt1648
opprobriatea1657
pelt1658
proscind1659
inveigh1670
clapperclaw1692
blackguard1767
philippize1804
drub1811
foul-mouth1822
bullyrag1823
target1837
barge1841
to light on ——1842
slang1844
villainize1857
slangwhang1880
slam-bang1888
vituperize1894
bad-mouth1941
slag1958
zing1962
to dump on (occasionally all over)1967
1583 W. Fletewood Jrnl. in Coll. Malone Soc. (1911) I. ii. 161 He haith misvsed my lo[rd] of Oxenford wth wordes of indignitie.
1587 J. Hooker Chron. Ireland 128/1 in Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) II None taunting, checking, or misusing an other in anie vnseemelie wordes or deeds.
1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy ii. iii. vii. 425 Socrates was brought vpon the Stage by Aristophanes, and misused to his face.
1633 T. Stafford Pacata Hibernia i. xiii. 79 Doe you not heare him misuse mee in words?
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > misrepresentation > misrepresent [verb (transitive)]
disguise1398
colourc1400
abuse?a1439
wrest1524
beliec1531
to spell (one) backward1600
misuse1609
bowa1616
falsify1630
misrepresent1633
traduce1643
garble1659
miscolour1661
misrender1674
travesty1825
misdescribe1827
skew1872
misportray1925
1609 W. Shakespeare Sonnets clii. sig. I4v All my vowes are othes but to misuse thee. View more context for this quotation
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.a1398v.a1382- sound negative
- sound of all four
- sound off
- sound on
- sound path
- sound picture
- sound poem
- sound power
- sound pressure
- sound print
- sound programme
- sound radio
- sound record
- sound recorder
- sound recordist
- sound secure
- sound shop
- sound source
- sound spectrogram
- sound spectrograph
- sound spectrography
- sound stage
- sound stripe
- sound studio
- sound system