ill-use
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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"She did not ill-use me. Indeed, I do not believe that she ever knew that I was there at all. Is that not peculiar?"
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
"Oh, probably because she can ill-use it to her heart's content."
From Woman and Artist by Max O'Rell
His owner had hesitated for some time before he made up his mind to have a dog, as he had often seen dogs ill-use the poor sheep.
From St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 8, May 1878, No. 7. An Illustrated Magazine for Young Folks by Various
I have not the slightest wish that you should ill-use them.
From The Vicar of Bullhampton by Anthony Trollope
But she claims that the day will be fine and not ill-use her.
From The Browning Cyclop?dia A Guide to the Study of the Works of Robert Browning by Edward Berdoe
You'll be good to him, and stand his friend, and teach him seafaring ways, and you'll see that nobody ill-uses him.
From The Sailor by J. C. Snaith
That is, except when he is rude, and ill-uses me, and will not come and apologize!’
From The Hand of Ethelberta by Thomas Hardy
Mr. Watts is too modest in his behaviour, and for that reason the young tyrant despises and ill-uses him.
From Athelstane Ford by Allen Upward
The master of this animal never ill-uses him nor scolds him, and at feeding-time the dogs are always served before the men.
From The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 2 by Henry Yule
The very readable, if long and winding, “The Calamity Club” focuses on a crew of frequently ill-used, tough-minded white women.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
The film tells us that she’s had a storied career; we see only a helicopter mom played by an ill-used Annette Bening.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2022
Well, maybe, though I’m not sure the Joan embodied here by the gifted but ill-used Jo Lampert should be taken as a paradigm for today’s wearers of pink pussy hats.
From New York Times ● Mar. 15, 2017
And actually serious party officials like Spicer were ill-used and degraded.
From US News ● Jul. 20, 2016
Then she sent for the stranger who had been ill-used.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Theodore also believed that by ill-using Mr. Stern he would please his "Gaffat children," therefore, immediately after Mr. Stern's imprisonment, he wrote to them saying, "I have chained your enemy and mine."
From Narrative of Captivity in Abyssinia with Some Account of the Late Emperor the Late Emperor Theodore, His Country and People by Dr. Henri Blanc
On one occasion, while out walking not far from his home, he encountered some men who were ill-using a fallen horse.
From George Borrow in East Anglia by William A. (William Alfred) Dutt
When it came to Valetta Joe's turn, he stoutly denied the charge of defrauding and ill-using the lad.
From The Thin Red Line; and Blue Blood by Arthur Griffiths
"These are his sisters too," she thought, "and I have been ill-using them; forgive me, I've done wrong," But the ladies were angry still.
From Primitive Love and Love-Stories by Henry Theophilus Finck
She was devotedly attached to Maidie, rather despising and ill-using her sister Isabella, a beautiful and gentle child.
From Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 6 by Hamilton Wright Mabie
