Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Slander?

\Slan"der\, n. [OE. sclandere, OF. esclandre, esclandle, escandre, F. esclandre, fr. L. scandalum, Gr. ??? a snare, stumbling block, offense, scandal; probably originally, the spring of a trap, and akin to Skr. skand to spring, leap. See {Scan}, and cf. {Scandal}.] 1. A false tale or report maliciously uttered, tending to injure the reputation of another; the malicious utterance of defamatory reports; the dissemination of malicious tales or suggestions to the injury of another. Whether we speak evil of a man to his face or behind his back; the former way, indeed, seems to be the most generous, but yet is a great fault, and that which we call ``reviling;'' the latter is more mean and base, and that which we properly call ``slander'', or ``Backbiting.'' --Tillotson. [We] make the careful magistrate The mark of slander. --B. Jonson. 2. Disgrace; reproach; dishonor; opprobrium. Thou slander of thy mother's heavy womb. --Shak. 3. (Law) Formerly, defamation generally, whether oral or written; in modern usage, defamation by words spoken; utterance of false, malicious, and defamatory words, tending to the damage and derogation of another; calumny. See the Note under {Defamation}. --Burril.
\Slan"der\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Slandered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Slandering}.] 1. To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report; to tarnish or impair the reputation of by false tales maliciously told or propagated; to calumniate. O, do not slander him, for he is kind. --Shak. 2. To bring discredit or shame upon by one's acts. Tax not so bad a voice To slander music any more than once. --Shak. Syn: To asperse; defame; calumniate; vilify; malign; belie; scandalize; reproach. See {Asperse}.