collocation: abuse

abuse noun

1 wrong/bad use of sth

adjective

alcohol , drug , solvent , substance (= drugs, etc.)

systematic , widespread

flagrant

verb + abuse

prevent , stop

investigate , report

be open to

The legal system is open to ~.

preposition

~   of

~ of prisoners

phrases

the ~ of power

2 bad, usually violent treatment of sb

adjective

emotional , physical , psychological , sex , sexual

child , elder ( esp. AmE ) , prisoner , spousal ( esp. AmE )

victims of child ~

human rights   ~s

allegations of human rights ~s

alleged , suspected

… of abuse

case

six cases of suspected child ~

verb + abuse

commit

subject sb to

She was subjected to regular sexual ~.

experience , suffer , take

The child had taken a lot of emotional ~.

allege , suspect sb of

abuse + verb

happen , occur , take place

abuse + noun

victim

phrases

an allegation of ~

allegations of child ~

a perpetrator of ~

a victim of ~

3 insulting words

adjective

verbal

personal , racial ( esp. BrE ) , racist

… of abuse

stream , torrent

He was subjected to a torrent of personal ~.

verb + abuse

hurl , scream , shout , shower sb with , subject sb to

endure

They had to endure continual racist ~.

phrases

heap ~ on sb/sth

Abuse and scorn were heaped on the proposals.

a target for ~ , a target of ~

The team who lost became a target of ~ for angry fans.

a term of ~

Calling someone stupid is definitely a term of ~.