libel
/ˈlaɪbəl/ noun, verb
Forms libels libeling libelling libeled libelled
- noun (countable) A written or pictorial false statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation.
- noun (uncountable) The act or tort of displaying such a statement publicly.
- noun (countable) Any defamatory writing; a lampoon; a satire.
- noun (law, countable) A written declaration or statement by the plaintiff of their cause of action, and of the relief they seek.
- noun (countable) A brief writing of any kind, especially a declaration, bill, certificate, request, supplication, etc. “a libel of forsaking [divorcement]”
- verb To defame (someone), especially in a manner that meets the legal definition of libel. “He libelled her when he published that.”
- verb To proceed against (goods, a ship, etc.) by filing a legal claim.
Synonyms
assassinate asperse backbite badmouth befoul belibel besmirch besmear bewray blacken blame blaze blemish blot blur calumniate calumny chat shit chat shite cloud
Etymology
From Middle English libel, from Old French libelle, from Latin libellus (“petition”, literally “booklet”). Doublet of libelle.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A brief writing of any kind, esp. a declaration, bill, certificate, request, supplication, etc. [Obs.] Chaucer.
- noun Any defamatory writing; a lampoon; a satire.
- verb To defame, or expose to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule, by a writing, picture, sign, etc.; to lampoon.
- verb To proceed against by filing a libel, particularly against a ship or goods.
Etymology [L. libellus a little book, pamphlet, libel, lampoon, dim. of liber the liber or inner bark of a tree; also (because the ancients wrote on this bark), paper, parchment, or a roll of any material used to write upon, and hence, a book or treatise: cf. F. libelle.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “libel”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details