abusage

English

Etymology

From abuse +‎ -age.

First appeared in Middle English, c. 1450–1475, meaning “sexual misconduct”: cf. abuse (“forcing of undesired sexual activity”). Later in the 16th century, a general synonym of abuse. The word was partly repopularized after the appearance of a grammar titled Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English in 1942.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈbjuːsɪd͡ʒ/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

Noun

abusage (countable and uncountable, plural abusages)

1. (uncommon) Synonym of abuse.

   We will trace the history of the term’s usage and abusage.

   • 2000, R. H. Groves, “Temperate Grasslands of the Southern Hemisphere”, in Surrey W. L. Jacobs, Joy Everett, editors, Grasses: Systematics and Evolution, →ISBN, page 358:

     The usage and abusage of land originally covered with southern temperate grassland has led in all four regions to profound changes in floristic composition of the modified vegetation. Invasions of pest animals and introduced weeds have followed, often with disastrous consequences […]

   • 2007 [2005], Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, →ISBN, page 89:

     She loved her papa, Hans Hubermann, and even her foster mother, despite the bucketings, abusages and verbal assaults.

   • 2016, Steve Keen, “Is neoclassical economics mathematical? Is there a non-neoclassical mathematical economics?”, in Jamie Morgan, editor, What Is Neoclassical Economics?: Debating the Origins, Meaning and Significance, →ISBN, page 239:

     Lawson’s position [is] that mathematical formalism alone is the problem, rather than a particular usage (or abusage) of it that can be characterized as neoclassical […]

Usage notes

• Now typically used in coordination with usage, as in “usage and abusage”.