different between slander vs obloquy

English

Alternative forms

• slandre (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English slaundre, sclaundre, from Old French esclandre, from Ecclesiastical Latin scandalum (“stumbling block, temptation”), from Ancient Greek ????????? (skándalon, “scandal”). Doublet of scandal.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?sl??nd?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?slænd?/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /sl??nd?/

Noun

slander (countable and uncountable, plural slanders)

1. A false or unsupported, malicious statement (spoken, not written), especially one which is injurious to a person's reputation; the making of such a statement.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:slander

Antonyms

• glorification (falsely praising statement)

Translations

Verb

slander (third-person singular simple present slanders, present participle slandering, simple past and past participle slandered)

1. To utter a slanderous statement about; baselessly speak ill of.

Synonyms

• defame
• libel (always in writing)
• See also Thesaurus:defame

Antonyms

• glorify (baselessly speak well of)

Translations

See also

• defamation

Anagrams

• Landers, Lenards, Nadlers, Randles, Sandler, darnels, enlards, landers, relands, slandre, snarled

English

Etymology

From Late Latin obloquium (“contradiction”), from Latin obloquor (“speak against, contradict”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??bl??kwi/, /???bl??kwi/

Noun

obloquy (countable and uncountable, plural obloquies)

1. Abusive language.
   • 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 34.

     It is surprising, therefore, that this philosophy, which, in almost every instance, must be harmless and innocent, should be the subject of so much groundless reproach and obloquy.
2. Disgrace.
   • 1825, William Hazlitt, The Spirit of the Age, Mr. Malthus

     His name undoubtedly stands very high in the present age, and will in all probability go down to posterity with more or less of renown or obloquy.

   • 1886, Henry James, The Princess Casamassima.

     It was comparatively easy for him to accept himself as the son of a terribly light Frenchwoman; there seemed a deeper obloquy even than that in his having for his other parent a nobleman altogether wanting in nobleness.

3. (archaic) A false accusation; malevolent rumors.
   • 1830, Joseph Plumb Martin, A Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier, Interspersed with Anecdotes of Incidents that Occurred Within His Own Observation, Chapter IX. Campaign of 1783:

     It is as cruel as the grave to any man, when he knows his own rectitude of conduct, to have his hard services not only debased and underrated. But the Revolutionary soldiers are not the only people that endure obloquy.

Synonyms

• (abusive language): defamation, insult
• (disgrace): opprobrium

Translations