Abuse vs. Invective — 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.

Invective (from Middle English invectif, or Old French and Late Latin invectus) is abusive, reproachful, or venomous language used to express blame or censure; or, a form of rude expression or discourse intended to offend or hurt; vituperation, or deeply seated ill will, vitriol.

To use improperly or excessively; misuse

Denunciatory or abusive language; vituperation

To hurt or injure by maltreatment; ill-use

A denunciatory or abusive expression or discourse

To force sexual activity on; rape or molest.

An expression which inveighs or rails against a person.

To assail with insulting or hurtful words; revile.

A severe or violent censure or reproach.

(Obsolete) To deceive or trick.

Something spoken or written, intended to cast shame, disgrace, censure, or reproach on another.

Improper or excessive use; misuse

A harsh or reproachful accusation.

Rough treatment or use

Characterized by invection or railing.

Physical maltreatment or violence

Characterized by invection; critical; denunciatory; satirical; abusive; railing.

Sexual abuse.

An expression which inveighs or rails against a person; a severe or violent censure or reproach; something uttered or written, intended to cast opprobrium, censure, or reproach on another; a harsh or reproachful accusation; - followed by against, having reference to the person or thing affected; as, an invective against tyranny.

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

Abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will

An unjust or wrongful practice

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

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;