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Abuse vs Addict - What's the difference?

abuse | addict |

As verbs the difference between abuse and addict

is that abuse is while addict is to cause someone to become addicted, especially to a harmful drug.

As a noun addict is

a person who is addicted, especially to a harmful drug.

abuse

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) abusen, then from either (etyl)

Noun

(en noun)
  • Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom.
  • *
    • All abuse , whether physical, verbal, psychological or sexual, is bad.
  • Misuse; improper use; perversion.
  • * 1788 , , Number 63
    • Liberty may be endangered by the abuses' of liberty, as well as by the ' abuses of power.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2012, month=March-April
    • , author=(Jan Sapp) , title=Race Finished , volume=100, issue=2, page=164 , magazine=(American Scientist) citation , passage=Few concepts are as emotionally charged as that of race. The word conjures up a mixture of associations—culture, ethnicity, genetics, subjugation, exclusion and persecution. But is the tragic history of efforts to define groups of people by race really a matter of the misuse of science, the abuse of a valid biological concept?}}
  • (obsolete) A delusion; an imposture; misrepresentation; deception.
  • *
  • Coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; language that unjustly or angrily vilifies.
  • *
  • (now, rare)   Catachresis.
  • Physical maltreatment; injury; cruel treatment.
  • Violation; defilement; rape; forcing of undesired sexual activity by one person on another, often on a repeated basis.
    • Usage notes
    * Typically followed by the word of .
    Synonyms
    * invective, contumely, reproach, scurrility, insult, opprobrium
    Derived terms
    * abusefully * abuse of distress * alcohol abuse * child abuse * drug abuse * self-abuse

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) abusen, from (etyl) abuser, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (abus)
  • To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to use improperly; to misuse; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert; as, to abuse one's authority.
  • *
  • To injure; to maltreat; to hurt; to treat with cruelty, especially repeatedly.
  • *
  • To attack with coarse language; to insult; to revile; malign; to speak in an offensive manner to or about someone; to disparage.
  • * Macaulay
    • The tellers of news abused the general.
  • *
  • 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.
  • (archaic) To violate; defile; to rape.
    • (Spenser)
  • (obsolete) Misrepresent; adulterate.
  • *
  • (obsolete) To deceive; to trick; to impose on; misuse the confidence of.
  • * 1651-2 , , "Sermon VI, The House of Feasting; or, The Epicures Measures", in The works of Jeremy Taylor , Volume 1, page 283 (1831), edited by Thomas Smart Hughes
    • When Cyrus had espied Astyages and his fellows coming drunk from a banquet loaden with variety of follies and filthiness, their legs failing them, their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist cloud and abused by a double object
  • (transitive, obsolete, Scotland) Disuse.
    • Synonyms
    * maltreat, injure, revile, reproach, vilify, vituperate, asperse, traduce, malign * See also
    Derived terms
    * abusable * abusage * abuser
    Related terms
    * abusive * abusively * abusiveness

    References

    *

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms ----

    addict

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who is addicted, especially to a harmful drug
  • * He is an addict when it comes to chocolate cookies.
  • An adherent or fan (of something)

    • Derived terms

    * cyberaddict * drug addict * sex addict

    Synonyms

    * (person who is addicted) junkie (one addicted to a drug), slave * (adherent or fan) adherent, aficionado, devotee, enthusiast, fan, habitue * See also

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cause someone to become addicted, especially to a harmful drug
  • To involve oneself in something habitually, to the exclusion of almost anything else.
  • * (rfdate), (John Evelyn)
    • They addict themselves to the civil law.
  • * (rfdate) (Francis Beaumont) &
    • He is addicted to his study.
  • * (rfdate) (Adventurer)
    • That part of mankind that addict their minds to speculations.
  • * (rfdate) (Thomas Fuller)
    • His genius addicted him to the study of antiquity.
  • * (rfdate), (Thomas Babington Macaulay)
    • A man gross ... and addicted to low company.
  • (obsolete) To adapt; to make suitable; to fit.
  • * (rfdate) (John Evelyn)
  • * The land about is exceedingly addicted to wood, but the coldness of the place hinders the growth.

    • Synonyms

    * get (someone) hooked * (devote) consecrate, dedicate, devote * (adapt) adapt, fit

    Derived terms

    * addicting * addictive

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms