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There's no reason that a principle use can't be abusive.
by hirundo 5y ago
There's no reason that a principle use can't be abusive.
- jjgreen 5y agoAbuse: late Middle English: via Old French from Latin abus- ‘misused’, from the verb abuti, from ab- ‘away’ (i.e. ‘wrongly’) + uti ‘to use’.
- hirundo 5y agoThere's no reason that a principle use can't be a misuse either. E.g. the principle use of biological warfare agents is a misuse.
- jjgreen 5y agoTo misuse is to use contrary to a thing's use (purpose): to use biological weapons to kill people is not misuse, it is use, that's what they're for; to use scissors to kill people is misuse, since the principle use of scissors is to cut paper, cloth and so on.