Abuse vs. Amuse — What's the Difference?

Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other types of aggression.

To hold the attention of or occupy in an agreeable fashion

To use improperly or excessively; misuse

To cause to laugh or smile by being funny

To hurt or injure by maltreatment; ill-use

(Archaic) To delude or deceive.

To force sexual activity on; rape or molest.

(transitive) To entertain or occupy (someone or something) in a pleasant manner; to stir (an individual) with pleasing emotions.

To assail with insulting or hurtful words; revile.

To cause laughter or amusement; to be funny.

(Obsolete) To deceive or trick.

To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude.

Improper or excessive use; misuse

To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder.

Rough treatment or use

To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder.

Physical maltreatment or violence

To entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with pleasing or mirthful emotions; to divert.

Sexual abuse.

To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude.

Insulting or hurtful language, especially when used to threaten or demoralize

To muse; to mediate.

An unjust or wrongful practice

Occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion;

Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom.

Make (somebody) laugh;

Misuse; improper use; perversion.

(obsolete) A delusion; an imposture; misrepresentation; deception.

Coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; language that unjustly or angrily vilifies.

Catachresis.

Physical maltreatment; injury; cruel treatment.

Violation; defilement; rape; forcing of undesired sexual activity by one person on another, often on a repeated basis.

(transitive) To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to use improperly; to misuse; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert

(transitive) To injure; to maltreat; to hurt; to treat with cruelty, especially repeatedly.

(transitive) To attack with coarse language; to insult; to revile; malign; to speak in an offensive manner to or about someone; to disparage.

(transitive) To imbibe a drug for a purpose other than it was intended; to intentionally take more of a drug than was prescribed for recreational reasons; to take illegal drugs habitually.

To violate; defile; to rape; (reflexive) to masturbate.

Misrepresent; adulterate.

To deceive; to trick; to impose on; misuse the confidence of.

Disuse.

To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert; as, to abuse inherited gold; to make an excessive use of; as, to abuse one's authority.

To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to abuse one's powers, one's patience.

To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage.

To dishonor.

To violate; to ravish.

To deceive; to impose on.

Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language.

Physical ill treatment; injury.

A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service.

Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling.

Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child.

Cruel or inhumane treatment

A rude expression intended to offend or hurt;

Improper or excessive use

Treat badly;

Change the inherent purpose or function of something;

Use foul or abusive language towards;