maltreat Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb treat badly
    ill-use; ill-treat; step; abuse; mistreat.
    • This boss abuses his workers
    • She is always stepping on others to get ahead

WordNet

Mal*treat" transitive verb
Etymology
Mal- + treat: cf. F. maltraiter.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Maltreated; present participle & verbal noun Maltreating
Definitions
  1. To treat ill; to abuse; to treat roughly.

Webster 1913