{
    "term": "abuse",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the use of something in a way that is wrong or harmful",
            "sensetop": "abuse of something",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "**alcohol/drug abuse**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The system of paying cash bonuses is **open to abuse** *(= might be used in the wrong way)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The legal system is open to abuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was arrested on charges of corruption and **abuse of power**.",
                    "contextForm": "abuse of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "What she did was an abuse of her position as manager."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "misuse",
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["alcohol", "drug", "solvent"],
                "verb + abuse": ["prevent", "stop", "investigate"],
                "preposition": ["abuse of"],
                "phrases": ["the abuse of power"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "unfair, cruel or violent treatment of somebody",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "child abuse"
                },
                {
                    "text": "sexual abuse"
                },
                {
                    "text": "reported abuses by the secret police"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They suffered years of physical abuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "allegations of child abuse"
                },
                {
                    "text": "six cases of suspected child abuse"
                },
                {
                    "text": "allegations of human rights abuses"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She was subjected to regular sexual abuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The child had taken a lot of emotional abuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "abuse of prisoners"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Crime and punishment"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["emotional", "physical", "psychological"],
                "… of abuse": ["case"],
                "verb + abuse": ["commit", "subject somebody to", "experience"],
                "abuse + verb": ["happen", "occur", "take place"],
                "abuse + noun": ["victim"],
                "phrases": [
                    "an allegation of abuse",
                    "a perpetrator of abuse",
                    "a victim of abuse"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "rude and offensive remarks, usually made when somebody is very angry",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to **scream/hurl/shout abuse**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a **stream/torrent of abuse**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The man burst into a torrent of foul-mouthed racist abuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The team who lost became a target of abuse for angry fans."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They had to endure continual racist abuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was subjected to a torrent of abuse."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Calling somebody stupid is definitely a term of abuse."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "insult",
            "topics": ["Feelings"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["verbal", "personal", "racial"],
                "… of abuse": ["stream", "torrent"],
                "verb + abuse": ["hurl", "scream", "shout"],
                "phrases": [
                    "heap abuse on somebody/​something",
                    "a target for abuse",
                    "a target of abuse"
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbjuːs/",
                "audio": "ab/abuse/abuse__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbjuːs/",
                "audio": "ab/abuse/abuse__us_3.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English: via Old French from Latin abus- ‘misused’, from the verb abuti, from ab- ‘away’ (i.e. ‘wrongly’) + uti ‘to use’."
}