a. [ad. Gr. καταχρηστικός misused, misapplied: see prec.] Of the nature of catachresis; wrongly used, misapplied, wrested from its proper meaning.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Catachrestical, Catachrestique, abusive, as when one word is improperly put for another.
1725. J. Reynolds, View of Death, x. Go Doating, fond Philosophy, With all thy Catachrestic Names.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages (1872), III. 238. The phrase is, so to say, catachrestic, not used in a proper sense.
