---
title: abuse — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «abuse» in the school dictionary: Using something wrongly or too much, so it does harm: drug abuse, abuse of power. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# abuse

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, Rude insulting words, anyone, you, fans, Animal abuse · **What happens:** use, do, abuse, treat, shout, mean · **To what, where:** something, harm, power, person, abuse, someone · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«abuse» in the school dictionary: its 6 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [abuse in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/abuse.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Using something wrongly or too much, so it does harm: drug abuse, abuse of power.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:m1:1
# text = Using something wrongly or too much, so it does harm: drug abuse, abuse of power.
1	Using	use	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	advcl	_	_
2	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	1	obj	_	_
3	wrongly	wrongly	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	too	too	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	harm	harm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
13	drug	drug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	abuse	abuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	abuse	abuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | gerund |  | something |  |  |  | wrongly *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Patient |
| 2 | **do** | present | it | harm and drug abuse and abuse of power |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent harm=Eventuality |
| 3 | **abuse** |  |  | power |  |  |  |  | nom abuse «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cruel or violent treatment of a person or animal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:m2:1
# text = Cruel or violent treatment of a person or animal.
1	Cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	violent	violent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
4	treatment	treatment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **treat** |  |  | a person or animal |  |  |  |  | nom treatment «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rude, insulting words: shouting abuse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:m3:1
# text = Rude, insulting words: shouting abuse.
1	Rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	insulting	insulting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
6	shouting	shout	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	_
7	abuse	abuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shout** *speech: express* | gerund | Rude insulting words *not said here* | abuse |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent abuse=Topic |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To treat someone cruelly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:m4:1
# text = To treat someone cruelly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	treat	treat	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	cruelly	cruelly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **treat** | to-infinitive |  |  | someone |  |  |  | vn equip-13.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent someone=Recipient |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To use something badly or unfairly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:m5:1
# text = To use something badly or unfairly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	badly	badly	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	unfairly	unfairly	ADV	RB	_	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | badly *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Patient |

## Meaning 6 {#m6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To abuse someone can also mean to insult them with rude words.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:m6:1
# text = To abuse someone can also mean to insult them with rude words.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	abuse	abuse	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	csubj	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	also	also	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	insult	insult	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **abuse** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | can |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **insult** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  | with rude words | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus they=Experiencer |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If anyone hurts you, it is abuse; tell a trusted adult.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:x1:1
# text = If anyone hurts you, it is abuse; tell a trusted adult.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hurts	hurt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	abuse	abuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
10	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	trusted	trust	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	amod	_	_
13	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hurt** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | anyone | you |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer you=Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | present | it | abuse |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  | a trusted adult |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent adult=Recipient |
| 4 | **trust** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fans shouted abuse at the referee.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:x2:1
# text = The fans shouted abuse at the referee.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fans	fan	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	shouted	shout	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	abuse	abuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shout** *speech: express* | past | the fans | abuse |  | the referee |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent abuse=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Animal abuse is a crime.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:x3:1
# text = Animal abuse is a crime.
1	Animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	abuse	abuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Animal abuse | a crime |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He abused his power as captain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:x4:1
# text = He abused his power as captain.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	abused	abuse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	captain	captain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **abuse** | past | He | his power |  |  |  | as captain | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent power=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't abuse the trust your friends give you.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:x5:1
# text = Don't abuse the trust your friends give you.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	abuse	abuse	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	trust	trust	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	friends	friend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	give	give	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **abuse** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the trust |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trust=Theme |
| 2 | **give** | present | your friends | the trust *not said here* | you |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The website has a button to report abuse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:x6:1
# text = The website has a button to report abuse.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	website	website	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	button	button	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	report	report	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	abuse	abuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the website | a button |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent button=Patient |
| 2 | **report** | to-infinitive | the website *not said here* | abuse |  |  |  |  | vn prosecute-33.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent abuse=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Lion abused him as a traitor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:abuse:x7:1
# text = The Lion abused him as a traitor.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Lion	Lion	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	abused	abuse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	traitor	traitor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **abuse** | past | the Lion | him *= he* |  |  |  | as a traitor | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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