Abuse
Abuse in dreams often surfaces when the psyche carries something unresolved—perhaps unkindness given or received, words regretted, or a relationship where power felt unequal. The dream may ask: where does cruelty live in your waking life, and what boundary might you need to repair or finally draw?
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See what’s rising tonight →What the old dream-books say
These are the entries the historical dream-books record for abuse, in their own words. They are period voices, not predictions, and they do not always agree with one another.
Gustavus Hindman Miller, 1901
To dream of abusing a person, means that you will be unfortunate in your affairs, losing good money through over-bearing persistency in business relations with others.
To feel yourself abused, you will be molested in your daily pursuits by the enmity of others.
For a young woman to dream that she hears abusive language, foretells that she will fall under the ban of some person's jealousy and envy. If she uses the language herself, she will meet with unexpected rebuffs, that may fill her with mortification and remorse for her past unworthy conduct toward friends.
Fontaine, 1862
To dream that you are abused and insulted, is a sign that some dispute will happen between you and some person with whom you have business; if you are in love, be assured that some one has attempted to injure you with the object of your affections, and that they have in a great measure succeeded.
Anonymous, 1894
Abuse.—To dream that you are abused and insulted is a certain sign you will have a dispute with some person with whom you have business, and, after such a dream, you should be particularly careful to be as gentle and mild as possible, that you may not give those with whom you have dealings any advantage over you; if you are in love, be assured that some one has attempted to injure you with the object of your affections, and that they have in a great measure succeeded. You should, therefore, after such a dream, be particularly attentive; eradicate the unfavorable impressions that have been made; if you have a lawsuit, keep a sharp lookout after your attorney, for such a dream, in that case, denotes that he is endeavoring to sell your cause; avoid taking a journey by land, or a voyage by sea, for eight and forty hours, because such a dream forebodes accidents by travelling.