maltratar

to mistreat

maltratar(mahl-trah-tahr)

transitive verb

1. (to treat poorly)

a. to mistreat

El caballo daba señales de haber sido maltratado.

The horse showed signs of having been mistreated.

b. to ill-treat

Los prisioneros tenían hambre, pero no habían sido maltratados.

The prisoners were hungry, but had not been ill-treated.

c. to maltreat

Lo declararon culpable de haber maltratado los animales a su cargo.

He was found guilty of maltreating the animals in his care.

d. to batter

Cuando era pequeña, su madre la maltrataba.

As a child, she was battered by her mother.

e. to abuse

La alumna confesó a la orientadora que sus padres la habían maltratado.

The student confessed to the guidance counselor that her parents had abused her.

2. (to misuse)

a. to mistreat

Me da pena ver a los niños maltratar juguetes tan caros.

I hate to see children mistreating such expensive toys.

maltratar

transitive verb

1. (pegar, insultar)

a. to ill-treat

maltrató a su mujer durante cinco añoshe mistreated his wife over a five-year period

la novela fue maltratada por la críticathe novel was mauled by the critics

2. (estropear)

a. to damage

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maltratar

transitive verb

1 [+persona] (tratar mal) to ill-treat; maltreat; abuse; (pegar) to batter; abuse

2 [+cosas] to handle roughly

3 (also maltratar de palabra) to abuse; insult