Library / English Dictionary

ILL-USE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Treat badly

Example:

She is always stepping on others to get ahead

Synonyms:

abuse; ill-treat; ill-use; maltreat; mistreat; step

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "ill-use" is one way to...):

do by; handle; treat (interact in a certain way)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ill-use"):

kick around (treat badly; abuse)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to ill-use the prisoners

Derivation:

ill-usage (cruel or inhumane treatment)

Credits

 Context examples: 

He’ll be vastly ill-used if you don’t let him have his own choice of conditions.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She had no resources for solitude; and inheriting a considerable share of the Elliot self-importance, was very prone to add to every other distress that of fancying herself neglected and ill-used.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Henry, I think so highly of Fanny Price, that if I could suppose the next Mrs. Crawford would have half the reason which my poor ill-used aunt had to abhor the very name, I would prevent the marriage, if possible; but I know you: I know that a wife you loved would be the happiest of women, and that even when you ceased to love, she would yet find in you the liberality and good-breeding of a gentleman.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Was ever any poor girl so ill-used by her servants as I am!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

But what I mean is, that I hope there is nothing in Captain Wentworth's manner of writing to make you suppose he thinks himself ill-used by his friend, which might appear, you know, without its being absolutely said.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

But, finding you true gold, a very lady, and an ill-used innocent, with a fresh heart full of love and trustfulness—which you look like, and is quite consistent with your story!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

She felt herself ill-used and unfortunate, as did her father; and they were neither of them able to devise any means of lessening their expenses without compromising their dignity, or relinquishing their comforts in a way not to be borne.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Though I don't know that it's much of a peculiarity, either; for he has been ill-used enough, by some that bear it, to have a mortal antipathy for it, Heaven knows.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

She would not, upon any account, mention her having met with him the second time; luckily Mary did not much attend to their having passed close by him in their earlier walk, but she would have felt quite ill-used by Anne's having actually run against him in the passage, and received his very polite excuses, while she had never been near him at all; no, that cousinly little interview must remain a perfect secret.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

I was not actively ill-used.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)