The difference between Abuse and Contumely

Abuse as a noun:

Improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose; an unjust, corrupt or wrongful practice or custom.

Abuse as a noun:

Misuse; improper use; perversion.

Abuse as a noun (obsolete):

A delusion; an imposture; misrepresentation; deception.

Abuse as a noun (dated, _, outside of, _, Africa):

Coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; language that unjustly or angrily vilifies.

Abuse as a noun (now, rare):

  Catachresis.

Abuse as a noun:

Physical maltreatment; injury; cruel treatment.

Abuse as a noun:

Violation; defilement; rape; forcing of undesired sexual activity by one person on another, often on a repeated basis.

Abuse as a verb (transitive):

To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to use improperly; to misuse; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert

Abuse as a verb (transitive):

To injure; to maltreat; to hurt; to treat with cruelty, especially repeatedly.

Abuse as a verb (transitive, dated, _, outside of, _, Africa):

To attack with coarse language; to insult; to revile; malign; to speak in an offensive manner to or about someone; to disparage.

Abuse as a verb (transitive):

To imbibe a drug for a purpose other than it was intended; to intentionally take more of a drug than was prescribed for recreational reasons; to take illegal drugs habitually.

Abuse as a verb (transitive, archaic):

To violate; defile; to rape.

Abuse as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

Misrepresent; adulterate.

Abuse as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

To deceive; to trick; to impose on; misuse the confidence of.

Abuse as a verb (transitive, obsolete, Scotland):

Disuse.

Contumely as a noun:

Offensive and abusive language or behaviour; scorn, insult.