defame
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Anglo-Norman defamer (verb), defame (noun), and its source, Latin diffāmō, from fāma (“fame; rumour; reputation”).
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /dɪˈfeɪm/
- Rhymes: -eɪm
Verb
Lua error in Module:en-headword at line 1145: Legacy parameter 1=STEM no longer supported, just use 'en-verb' without params
- To disgrace; to bring into disrepute. [from 4th c.]
- (Can we date this quote by Dryden and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- My guilt thy growing virtues did defame; / My blackness blotted thy unblemish'd name.
- (Can we date this quote by Dryden and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- (now chiefly historical) To charge; to accuse (someone) of an offence. [from 14th c.]
- Rebecca is […] defamed of sorcery practised on the person of a noble knight.
- To harm or diminish the reputation of; to disparage. [from 4th c.]
- to defame somebody
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:defame
Related terms
Translations
to harm, to diminish the reputation of
|
to disgrace, bring into disrepute
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
|
Noun
defame (countable and uncountable, plural defames)
- (now rare, archaic) Disgrace, dishonour. [from 14th c.]
- 1613, John Marston, William Barksted, The Insatiate Countess, I.1:
- And all the sparks that may bring unto flame / Hate betwixt man and wife, or breed defame.
- 1613, John Marston, William Barksted, The Insatiate Countess, I.1:
- (now rare or nonstandard) Defamation; slander, libel. [from 15th c.]
Further reading
- “defame”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “defame”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Categories:
- English terms borrowed from Anglo-Norman
- English terms derived from Anglo-Norman
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/eɪm
- Requests for date/Dryden
- English terms with historical senses
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with rare senses
- English terms with archaic senses
- English nonstandard terms