譚學文

Abuse / ə’bju:z /

Verb or Noun 動詞或名詞

Abuse 用作動詞是為個人利益而濫用的意思。例子: She is continuously abusing her position by forcing her colleagues to do other things for her. 她不斷地濫用她的職位而强迫她的同事去為她幹别的事。

To abuse alcohol 就是酗酒

Abuse 可以是一種罪行。是虐待罪。

The children had been sexually / physically / emotionally abused. 那些兒童受到了性虐待/ 肉體折磨/ 精神上的傷害。

香港南華早報記載了一段關於一名母親虐待親女兒的案件。……a Hong Kong judge described as ” grotesquely shocking ” abuse while urging stiffer sentences for crimes against children.

意思即是: ……一名香港法官描述這是怪誕驚恐的虐待，同時敦促對兒童作案的犯罪判決更强硬的判刑。

Abuse 在這裏是用作名詞。

言語上也可以用Abuse, verbally abuse 是辱罵，在某些國家也會構成罪行。

He had apparently experienced a lot of abuse from his neighbours. 他顯然經歷了很多鄰居的言語辱罵。

順帶一提，不要輕易罵人Idiot, 這詞也是a term of abuse. 帶侮辱性的貶詞。雖然可譯作蠢材，但比fool 嚴重得多呢！小心！小心！