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.
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.
