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Abusive vs Vicious - What's the difference?

abusive | vicious | Related terms |

Abusive is a related term of vicious.


As adjectives the difference between abusive and vicious

is that abusive is wrongly used; perverted; misapplied; unjust; illegal while vicious is pertaining to vice; characterised by immorality or depravity.

abusive

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Wrongly used; perverted; misapplied; unjust; illegal.
  • * I am ... necessitated to use the word Parliament improperly, according to the abusive acceptation thereof. - Fuller
  • (archaic) Catachrestic.
  • (archaic) Full of abuses; practicing abuse; containing abuse, or serving as the instrument of abuse.
  • *
  • Prone to ill treat by coarse, insulting words or by other ill usage; vituperative; reproachful; scurrilous.
  • * An abusive lampoon. - A dictionary of the English language
  • (obsolete) Tending to deceive; fraudulent.
  • * An abusive treaty. -
  • (archaic) Given to misusing; also, full of abuses.
  • * The abusive prerogatives of his see. -
  • (obsolete) Given to misusing.
  • Being physically injurious; characterized by repeated violence.
  • Synonyms

    * reproachful, scurrilous, opprobrious, insolent, insulting, injurious, offensive, reviling, berating, vituperative

    Derived terms

    * abusively * abusiveness

    References

    ----

    vicious

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Pertaining to vice; characterised by immorality or depravity.
  • *, Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.195:
  • *:We may so seize on vertue, that if we embrace it with an over-greedy and violent desire, it may become vicious .
  • Evil, immoral or depraved.
  • Violent, destructive and cruel.
  • Savage and aggressive.
  • *
  • Synonyms

    *

    Derived terms

    * vicious circle