Abuse vs. Curse — 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.

A curse (also called an imprecation, malediction, hex, execration, malison, anathema, or commination) is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, "curse" may refer to such a wish or pronouncement made effective by a supernatural or spiritual power, such as a god or gods, a spirit, or a natural force, or else as a kind of spell by magic or witchcraft; in the latter sense, a curse can also be called a hex or a jinx.

To use improperly or excessively; misuse

An appeal or prayer for evil or misfortune to befall someone or something.

To hurt or injure by maltreatment; ill-use

Evil or misfortune viewed as resulting from such an appeal

To force sexual activity on; rape or molest.

A source or cause of evil; a scourge

To assail with insulting or hurtful words; revile.

A profane word or phrase; a swearword.

(Obsolete) To deceive or trick.

(Ecclesiastical) A censure, ban, or anathema.

Improper or excessive use; misuse

(Offensive) Menstruation. Used with the.

Rough treatment or use

To invoke evil or misfortune upon; damn.

Physical maltreatment or violence

To swear at

Sexual abuse.

To bring evil upon; afflict

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

(Ecclesiastical) To put under a ban or anathema; excommunicate.

An unjust or wrongful practice

To utter curses; swear.

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

A supernatural detriment or hindrance; a bane.

Misuse; improper use; perversion.

A prayer or imprecation that harm may befall someone.

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

The cause of great harm, evil, or misfortune; that which brings evil or severe affliction; torment.

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

A vulgar epithet.

Catachresis.

A woman's menses.

Physical maltreatment; injury; cruel treatment.

(transitive) To place a curse upon (a person or object).

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

To call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon; to imprecate evil upon; to execrate.

(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 speak or shout a vulgar curse or epithet.

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

(intransitive) To use offensive or morally inappropriate language.

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

To bring great evil upon; to be the cause of serious harm or unhappiness to; to furnish with that which will be a cause of deep trouble; to afflict or injure grievously; to harass or torment.

(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 call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon; to imprecate evil upon; to execrate.

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

To bring great evil upon; to be the cause of serious harm or unhappiness to; to furnish with that which will be a cause of deep trouble; to afflict or injure grievously; to harass or torment.

Misrepresent; adulterate.

To utter imprecations or curses; to affirm or deny with imprecations; to swear.

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

An invocation of, or prayer for, harm or injury; malediction.

Disuse.

Evil pronounced or invoked upon another, solemnly, or in passion; subjection to, or sentence of, divine condemnation.

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.

The cause of great harm, evil, or misfortune; that which brings evil or severe affliction; torment.

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.

Profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger;

To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage.

An appeal to some supernatural power to inflict evil on someone or some group

To dishonor.

An evil spell;

To violate; to ravish.

Something causes misery or death;

To deceive; to impose on.

A severe affliction

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.

Utter obscenities or profanities;

Physical ill treatment; injury.

Heap obscenities upon;

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

Wish harm upon; invoke evil upon;

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

Exclude from a church or a religious community;

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;