Entry Word: mishandle

Function: verb

Meaning: 1 to inflict physical or emotional harm upon <having been shuffled from foster home to foster home, the orphaned girl felt she had been mishandled by an uncaring society> — see abuse 1
2 to abuse physically <adopted a sadly mishandled puppy from the pound> — see manhandle 1
3 to manage badly <we took over as soon as we realized that she had been mishandling the situation> — see mismanage