defame

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Related to defames: slanderer, calumniated

de·fame

 (dĭ-fām′)
tr.v. de·famed, de·fam·ing, de·fames
1. To damage the reputation, character, or good name of (someone) by slander or libel. See Synonyms at malign.
2. Archaic To disgrace.

[Middle English defamen, from Old French defamer, from Medieval Latin dēfāmāre, alteration of Latin diffāmāre, to spread news of, slander : dis-, abroad, apart; see dis- + fāma, rumor, reputation; see bhā- in Indo-European roots.]

de·fam′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

defame

(dɪˈfeɪm)
vb (tr)
1. (Law) to attack the good name or reputation of; slander; libel
2. (Law) archaic to indict or accuse
[C14: from Old French defamer, from Latin dēfāmāre, from diffāmāre to spread by unfavourable report, from fāma fame]
deˈfamer n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

de•fame

(dɪˈfeɪm)

v.t. -famed, -fam•ing.
1. to attack the good name or reputation of; slander or libel.
2. Archaic. to disgrace.
[1275–1325; < Medieval Latin dēfāmāre, derivative of Latin diffāmāre to spread the news of, slander]
de•fam′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

defame


Past participle: defamed
Gerund: defaming

Imperative
defame
defame
Present
I defame
you defame
he/she/it defames
we defame
you defame
they defame
Preterite
I defamed
you defamed
he/she/it defamed
we defamed
you defamed
they defamed
Present Continuous
I am defaming
you are defaming
he/she/it is defaming
we are defaming
you are defaming
they are defaming
Present Perfect
I have defamed
you have defamed
he/she/it has defamed
we have defamed
you have defamed
they have defamed
Past Continuous
I was defaming
you were defaming
he/she/it was defaming
we were defaming
you were defaming
they were defaming
Past Perfect
I had defamed
you had defamed
he/she/it had defamed
we had defamed
you had defamed
they had defamed
Future
I will defame
you will defame
he/she/it will defame
we will defame
you will defame
they will defame
Future Perfect
I will have defamed
you will have defamed
he/she/it will have defamed
we will have defamed
you will have defamed
they will have defamed
Future Continuous
I will be defaming
you will be defaming
he/she/it will be defaming
we will be defaming
you will be defaming
they will be defaming
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been defaming
you have been defaming
he/she/it has been defaming
we have been defaming
you have been defaming
they have been defaming
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been defaming
you will have been defaming
he/she/it will have been defaming
we will have been defaming
you will have been defaming
they will have been defaming
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been defaming
you had been defaming
he/she/it had been defaming
we had been defaming
you had been defaming
they had been defaming
Conditional
I would defame
you would defame
he/she/it would defame
we would defame
you would defame
they would defame
Past Conditional
I would have defamed
you would have defamed
he/she/it would have defamed
we would have defamed
you would have defamed
they would have defamed
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Verb1.defame - 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"
accuse, charge - blame for, make a claim of wrongdoing or misbehavior against; "he charged the director with indifference"
assassinate - destroy or damage seriously, as of someone's reputation; "He assassinated his enemy's character"
libel - print slanderous statements against; "The newspaper was accused of libeling him"
badmouth, drag through the mud, malign, traduce - speak unfavorably about; "She badmouths her husband everywhere"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

defame

verb slander, smear, libel, discredit, knock (informal), rubbish (informal), disgrace, blacken, slag (off) (slang), detract, malign, denigrate, disparage, vilify, dishonour, stigmatize, bad-mouth (slang, chiefly U.S. & Canad.), besmirch, traduce, cast aspersions on, speak evil of, cast a slur on, calumniate, vituperate, asperse He complained that the article defamed him.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

defame

verb
To make defamatory statements about:
Law: libel.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

defame

[dɪˈfeɪm] VTdifamar, calumniar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

defame

[dɪˈfeɪm] vt (= slander) [+ person] → diffamer
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

defame

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

defame

[dɪˈfeɪm] vt (frm) → diffamare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
OEDIPUS O shameless railer, think'st thou this abuse Defames my grey hairs rather than thine own?
Ye lack innocence in your desire: and now do ye defame desiring on that account!
That the world, and men for whom His Son die, will not be given over to monsters, whose very existence would defame Him.
Though human, thou didst not deceive me, Though woman, thou didst not forsake, Though loved, thou forborest to grieve me, Though slandered, thou never couldst shake, -- Though trusted, thou didst not disclaim me, Though parted, it was not to fly, Though watchful, 'twas not to defame me, Nor mute, that the world might belie.