Dictionary    Maps    Thesaurus    Translate    Advanced >   


Tip: Click Thesaurus above for synonyms. Also, follow synonym links within the dictionary to find definitions from other sources.

1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
asperse
    v 1: charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good
         name and reputation of someone; "The journalists have
         defamed me!" "The article in the paper sullied my
         reputation" [syn: defame, slander, smirch, asperse,
         denigrate, calumniate, smear, sully, besmirch]

2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Asperse \As*perse"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aspersed; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Aspersing.] [L. aspersus, p. p. of aspergere to
   scatter, sprinkle; ad + spargere to strew. See Sparse.]
   1. To sprinkle, as water or dust, upon anybody or anything,
      or to besprinkle any one with a liquid or with dust.
      --Heywood.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To bespatter with foul reports or false and injurious
      charges; to tarnish in point of reputation or good name;
      to slander or calumniate; as, to asperse a poet or his
      writings; to asperse a man's character.
      [1913 Webster]

            With blackest crimes aspersed.        --Cowper.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To slander; defame; detract from; calumniate; vilify.

   Usage: To Asperse, Defame, Slander, Calumniate. These
          words have in common the idea of falsely assailing the
          character of another. To asperse is figuratively to
          cast upon a character hitherto unsullied the
          imputation of blemishes or faults which render it
          offensive or loathsome. To defame is to detract from a
          man's honor and reputation by charges calculated to
          load him with infamy. Slander (etymologically the same
          as scandal) and calumniate, from the Latin, have in
          common the sense of circulating reports to a man's
          injury from unworthy or malicious motives. Men asperse
          their neighbors by malignant insinuations; they defame
          by advancing charges to blacken or sully their fair
          fame; they slander or calumniate by spreading
          injurious reports which are false, or by magnifying
          slight faults into serious errors or crimes.
          [1913 Webster]

3. The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906)
ASPERSE, v.t.  Maliciously to ascribe to another vicious actions which
one has not had the temptation and opportunity to commit.


Thesaurus Results for asperse:

1. Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
affront, calumniate, christen, defame, denigrate, deride, immerse, insult, libel, mock, offend, scandal, scandalize, slander, slur, sprinkle, taunt, traduce
Common Misspellings >
Most Popular Searches: Define Misanthrope, Define Pulchritudinous, Define Happy, Define Veracity, Define Cornucopia, Define Almuerzo, Define Atresic, Define URL, Definitions Of Words, Definition Of Get Up, Definition Of Quid Pro Quo, Definition Of Irreconcilable Differences, Definition Of Word, Synonyms of Repetitive, Synonym Dictionary, Synonym Antonyms. See our main index and map index for more details.

©2011-2024 ZebraWords.com - Define Yourself - The Search for Meanings and Meaning Means I Mean. All content subject to terms and conditions as set out here. Contact Us, peruse our Privacy Policy