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Origin and history of abusive

abusive(adj.)

1530s (implied in abusively) "improper," from French abusif, from Latin abusivus "misapplied, improper," from abus-, past-participle stem of abuti "misuse," literally "use up" (see abuse (v.)). Meaning "full of abuse" is from 1580s. Shakespeare has abusious ("Taming of the Shrew," 1594). Abuseful "abounding in reproaches" was in use 17c.-19c. Related: Abusively; abusiveness.

abusive

also from 1530s

Entries linking to abusive

abuse(v.)

early 15c., "to misuse, misapply" (power, money, etc.), from Old French abuser "deceive, abuse, misuse" (14c.), from Vulgar Latin *abusare, from Latin abusus "an abusing; a using up," past participle of abuti "use up, consume," also "to misuse, abuse, misapply, outrage," from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + uti "use" (see use).

Also in reference to forbidden sexual situations from early 15c., but originally meaning incest, masturbation (self-abuse), homosexuality, prostitution, etc. From 1550s specifically as "to misuse sexually, ravish," but OED 2nd ed. marks this obsolete and the modern use "subject (someone) to unwanted sexual activity" is likely a fresh coinage from late 20c. Specifically of drugs, from 1968. Meaning "attack with harsh language, revile" is from c. 1600. Related: Abused; abusing.

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    opprobrious
    "full of reproach, intended to bring disgrace" (of language, words, etc.), late 14c., from Old French oprobrieus (Modern French opprobrieux) and directly from Late Latin opprobriosus, from Latin opprobare "to reproach, taunt," from assimilated form of ob "in front of, before" (se
    scurrilous
    "given to the use of low and indecent language," "using such language as only the licence of a buffoon can warrant" [Johnson], 1570s, from scurrile "coarsely joking" (implied in scurrility), from Latin scurrilis "buffoon-like," from scurra "fashionable city idler, man-about-town,
    invective
    "an attacking in words," 1520s, from Medieval Latin invectiva "abusive speech," from Late Latin invectivus "abusive, scolding...
    revile
    c. 1300, revilen, "debase, degrade" (a sense now obsolete);" mid-14c., "insult, taunt, vilify, assail with abusive language...
    scold
    late 14c., scolden, "be abusive; be quarrelsome," from scold (n.). "Now with milder sense ......
    pumpernickel
    unbolted rye," c. 1740, pumpernicle, pumpernickle, from German (Westphalian dialect) Pumpernickel (1663), originally an abusive...
    saucy
    Compare Skelton's have eaten sauce for "be abusive."...
    solidarity
    1829, "communion of interests and responsibilities, mutual responsibility between two or more persons, quality in a community of being perfectly united on some question," from French solidarité, "communion of interests and responsibilities, mutual responsibility," a coinage of th
    just
    late 14c., "morally upright, righteous in the eyes of God" ("Now chiefly as a Biblical archaism" - OED, 1989); also "equitable, fair, impartial in one's dealings;" also "fitting, proper, conforming to standards or rules;" also "justifiable, reasonable;" from Old French juste
    glitch
    by 1953, said to have been in use in radio broadcast jargon since early 1940s, American English, possibly from Yiddish glitsh "a slip," from glitshn "to slip," from German glitschen, and related gleiten "to glide" (see glide (v.)). Perhaps directly from German. Apparently it bega

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