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.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913. | 
