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Neglect vs Misuse - What's the difference?

neglect | misuse |

As verbs the difference between neglect and misuse

is that neglect is (label) to fail to care for or attend to something while misuse is to use (something) incorrectly.

As nouns the difference between neglect and misuse

is that neglect is the act of neglecting while misuse is an incorrect, improper or unlawful use of something.

neglect

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (label) To fail to care for or attend to something.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
    • I hope / My absence doth neglect no great designs.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • This, my long suffering and my day of grace, / Those who neglect and scorn shall never taste.
  • (label) To omit to notice; to forbear to treat with attention or respect; to slight.
  • (label) To fail to do or carry out something due to oversight or carelessness.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2014-06-14, volume=411, issue=8891, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= It's a gas , passage=One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains.

    Derived terms

    * benign neglect * neglectful * neglectfully * neglectfulness

    Related terms

    * negligee * negligence

    Noun

  • The act of neglecting.
  • The state of being neglected.
  • Habitual lack of care.

    • Synonyms

    * carelessness * negligence

    misuse

    English

    Etymology 1

    (mis-) +

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An incorrect, improper or unlawful use of something.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=June 4 , author=Lewis Smith , title=Queen's English Society says enuf is enough, innit? , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=The Queen may be celebrating her jubilee but the Queen's English Society, which has railed against the misuse and deterioration of the English language, is to fold.}}

    Etymology 2

    From (mis-) +

    Verb

    (misus)
  • To use (something) incorrectly.
  • To abuse or mistreat (something or someone).
  • (obsolete) To abuse verbally, to insult.
  • *, II.3.7:
    • Socrates was brought upon the stage by Aristophanes, and misused to his face: but he laughed, as if it concerned him not […].