Misuse

Definition: Misuse

Misuse

Noun

1. Improper or excessive use.

Verb

1. Apply badly or incorrectly.

2. Change the inherent purpose or function of something; "Don't abuse the system"; "The director of the factory misused the funds intended for the health care of his workers".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "misuse" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1350. (references)

Synonyms: Misuse

Misuse

Verb: misuse, misemploy, misapply, misappropriate.

Noun: misuse, misusage, misemployment, misapplication, misappropriation.

Waste

Noun: consumption, expenditure, exhaustion; dispersion; ebb; leakage; (exudation); loss; wear and tear; waste; prodigality; misuse; wasting; Verb: rubbish; (useless). mountain in labor.

Crosswords: Misuse

Come with us. See to it I don't misuse the money (Spartacus; writing credit: Howard Fast; Dalton Trumbo)

Misuse of files (The Office; writing credit: Ricky Gervais; Stephen Merchant)

Number two: misuse of company files (The Office; writing credit: Ricky Gervais; Stephen Merchant)

Don't get it twisted, Don't misuse it (We Need A Resolution; performing artist: Aaliyah)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

References

• The Official Patient's Sourcebook on Vocal Abuse and Misuse (reference)

  (more reference examples)

Books

• AIDS and Drug Misuse Update (reference)

• Alcohol Misuse; A European Perspective (reference)

• Legal Alchemy: The Use and Misuse of Science in the Law (reference)

• Parental Substance Misuse and Child Protection: Lost Childhoods (reference)

• Pregnancy & Drug Misuse (reference)

  (more book examples)

Periodicals

• Ncamps Technical Report : The News Bulletin Of The National Coalition Against The Misuse Of Pesticides (reference)

  (more periodical examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Fence corner and outbuilding being buried by dust. Misuse of lands is the chief cause of results such as this. Mills, New Mexico. Credit: Library of Congress.

The Land Acquisition Program of the Resettlement Administration along the Oregon coast is designed to prevent the continued misuse of forest resources which result in scenes like this along the Yachats River. Credit: Library of Congress.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

This being usually brought about by such in the commonwealth who misuse the power they have; it is hard to consider it aright, and know at whose door to lay it, without knowing the form of government in which it happens. (Second Treatise of Government)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Guildenstern: Where? Rosencrantz: It's all right - I'm demonstrating the misuse of free speech

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

Most disorders of vocal abuse and misuse are reversible. (references)

The consequences of alcohol misuse are serious�"in many cases, life threatening. (references)

Scientists are examining a multitude of issues related to vocal abuse and misuse. (references)

Business

Shoppers are concerned that hackers will intercept and misuse their credit-card details. (references)

Protecting data from attacks and misuse requires a significant investment in hardware and software. (references)

Children

Pakistan

However, no legal action was taken against those found responsible for the misuse of government property. (references)

Civil Liberties

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Media outlets also were harassed through the misuse of government agencies, by performing tax audits or cutting off power and telephone lines. (references)

El Salvador

In the past, legislative deputies have argued that misuse of the provision could lead to impunity and corruption by limiting the watchdog role of the press. (references)

Economic History

Switzerland

To prevent misuse of the very liberal market framework, provisions to regulate certain aspects of portfolio investment have been enacted. (references)

Sri Lanka

In 1997, the SPC issued an interim report, which found four former government ministers and officials guilty of misuse of power in a number of deals. (references)

Dominican Rep

The head of the Office of National Patrimony, named by Mejia after he took office last August 2000, was recently sacked and later charged with misuse of public funds. (references)

Human Rights

Guinea-Bissau

At year's end, all three still were in detention and had been charged with misuse of official funds. (references)

Iran

Kadivar advocated political reform and greater intellectual freedom and criticized the misuse of religion to maintain power. (references)

Lebanon

All of the former government officials who were detained in 1999 on charges of embezzlement or misuse of power have been acquitted or released on bail. (references)

Political Rights

Sri Lanka

Elections Commission officers reported misuse of postal votes in the 1999 Northwest ("Wayamba") Province elections. (references)

Women

Pakistan

The Commission charged that the laws on adultery and rape have been subject to widespread misuse, with 95 percent of the women accused of adultery being found innocent either in the court of first instance or on appeal. (references)

Worker Rights

Russia

The leader had received threats to her job and family after filing cases against the local procurator's office, municipal court, and police concerning misuse of funds. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "misuse": data misuse ♦ drug misuse ♦ fraudulent misuse of a computer ♦ fraudulent misuse of funds ♦ Health Services Misuse ♦ misuse failure ♦ misuse of authority ♦ misuse of confidence ♦ misuse of data ♦ misuse of information ♦ misuse of salary deductions ♦ misuse of the telephone ♦ misuse of words ♦ Prescription drug misuse. Additional references.

Albanian

shpërdoroj (abuse, peculate, presume), shpërdorim (abuse, malpractice, misappropriation, peculation, waste), shpërdor (abuse, misappropriate), përdorim i gabuar, përdor gabim, keqpërdor (ill treat, maltreat, misapply, pull about), abuzoj (abuse, overindulge), abuzim (abuse, malversation, overindulgence). (various references)

Arabic 

‏سوء إستعمال, ‏إستعمال خاطئ, ‏أساء الإستعمال (misapply). (various references)

Bulgarian 

употребявам неправилно, неправилна употреба, малтретиране (maltreatment, mistreatment), малтретирам (abuse, bully, ill treat, ill use, maltreat, manhandle, mishandle, mistreat, rough up, work over), злоупотребявам (embezzle, misapply, misappropriate, trespass), злоупотреба (abuse, conversion, defalcation, embezzlement, misappropriation), прилагам погрешно, погрешна употреба. (various references)

Chinese 

誤�"� , 误�"� (misapplication, Misapplied, misapply, Misapplying, misused). (various references)

Czech

zneužít (take an advantage), nesprávnì zacházet s, nesprávnì použít (misapply). (various references)

Danish

misbrug af kernemateriale (misuse of nuclear material), magtfordrejning (abuse of power, misuse of one's position, misuse of power), magtmisbrug (abuse of authority, abuse of discretion, abuse of power, misuse of authority, misuse of power), misbrug af en rettighed (abuse of law, abuse of rights, misuse of law), misbrug af sin stilling (misuse of one's position), misbrug af tjenstlige beføjelser (misuse of one's position), misbrugsfejl (misuse failure), myndighedsmisbrug (abuse of power, misuse of power), misbrug af beføjelser (abuse of power, misuse of power), virksomhederne kan anlaegge sag om generelle beslutninger,som de finder indebaerer magtfordrejning i forhold til dem (undertakings may institute proceedings against general decisions which they consider to involve a misuse of powers affecting them), procedurefordrejning (abuse of process, misuse of procedure), datamisbrug (abuse of information, computer fraud, data abuse, data trespass, misuse of data, misuse of information), undladelse,der udgør magtfordrejning (abstention which constitutes a misuse of powers), utilbørlig udøvelse af en rettighed (abuse of law, abuse of rights, misuse of law), lejlighedsvist misbrug (occasional abuse, occasional misuse), klager,der indbringes under påberåbelse af inkompetence,væsentlige formelle mangler,overtrædelse af denne Traktat eller af retsregler vedrørende dens gennemførelse,samt af magtfordrejning (actions brought on grounds of lack of competence, infringement of an essential procedural requirement, infringement of this Treaty or of any rule of law relating to its application, or misuse of powers), ikke anvendt efter sit formaal (misuse of the purpose), fejl på grund af misbrug (misuse failure), embedsmisbrug (abuse of power, misuse of power). (various references)

Dutch

misbruik van gezag (abuse of authority, abuse of discretion, abuse of power, misuse of authority, misuse of power), machtsmisbruik (abuse of power, misfeasance, misuse of power), misbruik maken van iemands vertrouwen (misuse of good faith, to take undue advantage of someone's good faith), misbruik van bevoegdheid (abuse of process, misfeasance, misuse of procedure), misbruik van de functie (misuse of one's position), misbruik van gegevens (abuse of information, data abuse, misuse of data, misuse of information), misbruik van ouderlijk gezag (misuse of parental authority), misbruik van ouderlijke macht (misuse of parental authority), misbruik van splijtbaar materiaal (misuse of nuclear material), misbruik van recht (abuse of law, abuse of rights, misuse of law), misbruik van een blanco handtekening (misuse of blank signature, misuse of document signed in blank), rechtsmisbruik (abuse of law, abuse of rights, misuse of law), abus de pouvoir (abuse of power, misuse of power), beroep wegens onbevoegdheid,schending van wezenlijke vormvoorschriften,schending van dit Verdrag of van enige uitvoeringsregeling daarvan,dan wel wegens misbruik van bevoegdheid (actions brought on grounds of lack of competence, infringement of an essential procedural requirement, infringement of this Treaty or of any rule of law relating to its application, or misuse of powers), détournement de pouvoir (abuse of power, misuse of power), datamisbruik (abuse of information, data abuse, misuse of data, misuse of information), excès de pouvoir (abuse of power, misuse of power), feil door verkeerd gebruik (misuse failure), storing ten gevolge van foutief gebruik (misuse failure), onthouding die misbruik van bevoegdheid betekent (abstention which constitutes a misuse of powers), abus de droit (abuse of law, abuse of rights, misuse of law), omzeiling (misuse of the purpose), voor de ondernemingen staat beroep open tegen algemene beschikkingen,die volgens hun mening te hunnen opzichte misbruik van bevoegdheid inhouden (undertakings may institute proceedings against general decisions which they consider to involve a misuse of powers affecting them), occasioneel misbruik (occasional abuse, occasional misuse), vlaggenmisbruik (misuse of the flag). (various references)

Farsi 

سوء استفاده (Abusive, Graft, Jobbery), بدرفتاری (Misconduct, Misdeed), بدبکاربردن (Abuse, Mishandle). (various references)

Finnish

väärinkäyttö (abuse), käyttää väärin (abuse). (various references)

French

maltraiter (mishandle, mistreat), usage impropre, employer improprement, abuser, abus (mistake). (various references)

German

missbrauch (abuse, abusiveness, improper use, misapplication, misfeasance, misusage, sexual assault). (various references)

Greek 

κάνω κατάχρηση, κακή χρήση (misemployment, misusage), κακομεταχειρίζομαι (ill treat, ill use, maltreat, manhandle, mishandle, mistreat). (various references)

Hebrew 

למעול (deal treacherously, misappropriate, purloin, sin), ל�"שתמש לרע�" (abuse, take advantage of, tamper, trade on), שמוש לרע�" (abuse), � צול לרע�" (imposition). (various references)

Hungarian

visszaélés (abuse, imposition), rossz felhasználás. (various references)

Italian

maltrattamento (abuse, cruelty, maltreatment, punishment), uso sbagliato, fare cattivo uso di (abuse), abuso (abuse, abusiveness, excess), abusare di (abuse), abusare (abuse, encroach, slate, take advantage, take advantage of, to abuse, trespass). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

濫�"� (abuse, misappropriation, using to excess). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

ぎゃくよう (abuse, taking advantage of), ぼうよう (abuse, vastness), あくよう (abuse, perversion), ら�"よう (abuse, misappropriation, using to excess). (various references)

Korean 

오용. (various references)

Manx

jannoo drogh ymmyd, drogh-ymmyd (abuse, misusage). (various references)

Pig Latin

isusemay.(various references)

Portuguese

mau uso (ill-use, misapplication), mau emprego (misapplication), maltratar (abuse, bully, fib, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, manhandle, maul, mishandle, mistreat, mob), má utilização, utilizar mal, uso incorreto, usar incorretamente, tratar (attend, cherish, deal, deal with, do, handle, look after, manage, nurse, process, size, treat), fazer mau uso de (abuse), empregar de modo errado, abuso (abuse, ill-use, inroad, overindulgence, trespass, violence), abusar de (belabor, belabour). (various references)

Romanian

maltratare (abuse, ill-treatment, ill-usage, maltreatment, mistreatment, misusage), maltrata (abuse, bedevil, ill treat, ill use, knock about, maltreat, maul, mishandle, mistreat), folosire greşitã (misemployment, misusage), folosi greşit (misapply, misemploy, pervert), brutaliza (bedevil, brutalize, bully, mishandle), abuza de (abuse, presume upon), abuza (abuse, deceive, delude, exploit, stretch), întrebuinţare greşitã (misusage), întrebuinţa greşit. (various references)

Russian 

неправильное употребление, неправильно обращаться (misguide), злоупотреблять (misapply, strain, trespass), злоупотребление (abuse, abuse of, malversation, misapplication, overindulgence, over-indulgence, trespass), плохое обращение (ill use, maltreatment), дурно обращаться (ill-treat, maltreat). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

zloupotrebiti (abuse, misapply, take advantage of, used: get used), zloupotreba (abuse, misapplication). (various references)

Spanish

mal uso. (various references)

Swedish

missbruka (abuse, impose on, misapply), missbruk (abuse, addiction). (various references)

Turkish

yanlış kullanmak, yanlış kullanma (impropriety), suistimal etmek (abuse, misemploy, pull at smb.'s heartstrings), suistimal (abuse, malfeasance, misappropriation), kötüye kullanmak (abuse, betray, defile, encroach, exploit, impose, make a draft on, misappropriate, misemploy, presume on, presume upon), kötüye kullanma (abuse, deceit, delinquency, embezzlement, exploitation, malfeasance, malversation), hor kullanmak (batter, ill treat, ill use, mishandle, mistreat), hor kullanma (ill-treatment, mistreatment, misusage), hırpalamak (batter, beat up, bruise, ill treat, ill use, jolt, knock about, knock around, maltreat, maul, punish, ruffle, work over, worry). (various references)

Ukrainian

неправильно вживати (abuse), неправильне вживання (abuse), зловживати (abuse, misapply, presume, strain, trespass), зловживання (abuse, malversation, misapplication, overuse, trespass), погано ставитися, погане ставлення. (various references)

Vietnamese 

sự ngược đãi (ill-treatment, ill-usage, ill-use, mistreatment, misusage, persecution, punishment), sự lạm dụng sự h� nh hạ (misusage), sự dùng sai (misapplication, misusage, perversion), sự bạc đâi (ill-treatment, ill-usage, ill-use). (various references)

Welsh

camddefnyddio (abuse), camddefnydd (abuse), camarfer (abuse, malpractice). (various references)

Derivations

Words beginning with "misuse": misused, misuser, misusers, misuses. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Misuse" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Liseuse, Mabuse, Masdus, massuse, masuese, masuesse, masusee, masuss, mesus, Milsome, Misees, misie, misos, misse, missen, missuse, Misu, misuc, misuer, Mitsuo, mousseux, Myzus. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

-1 letter: issue, mises, muses, seism, semis.

-2 letters: emus, isms, mess, mise, miss, muse, muss, seis, semi, sims, sues, sums, uses.

-3 letters: ems, emu, ess, ism, mis, mus, sei, sim, sis, sue, sum, use.

-4 letters: em, es, is, me, mi, mu, si, um, us.

+1 letter: cesiums, minuses, miscues, misused, misuser, misuses, mueslis, muskies, mussier, surmise.

+2 letters: animuses, caesiums, iambuses, impulses, koumises, kumisses, limbuses, litmuses, meniscus, mesquits, misguess, misrules, missuses, mistunes, misusage, misusers, mousiest, mushiest, muskiest, muspikes, mussiest, mustiest, nimbuses, primuses, spumiest, subitems, sublimes, surmised, surmiser, surmises.

+3 letters: aneurisms, autecisms, bumpiness, clumsiest, coliseums, customise, diestrums, displumes, dumpiness, emulsions, emulsoids, euphuisms, gumminess, humanises, immunises, impetuses, isthmuses, jesuitism, jumpiness, koumisses, lemniscus, lumpiness, marquises, medusoids, mesquites, messieurs, minibuses, misgauges, misguides, misjudges, misquotes, misroutes, missuited, misusages, misvalues, moistures, mousiness, muddiness, mudfishes, mudslides, mugginess, murkiness, mushiness, musicales, muskiness, mussiness, mustiness, muzziness, mystiques, omnibuses, outsmiles, quietisms, residuums, resubmits, scummiest, seleniums, sensillum, sensorium, simulates, slummiest, smudgiest, smuttiest, squeamish, squirmers, stumpiest, sublimers, sublimest, summaries, summarise, surmisers, trismuses, vomituses.