libel
English
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French libelle, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin libellus (“petition”).
Pronunciation
Noun
libel (countable and uncountable, plural libels)
- (countable) A written or pictorial false statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation.
- (uncountable) The act or crime of displaying such a statement publicly.
- (countable) Any defamatory writing; a lampoon; a satire.
- (law, countable) A written declaration or statement by the plaintiff of their cause of action, and of the relief they seek.
- United States Supreme Court, The Rio Grande, 86 U.S. 178,179 (1873)
- These provisions of law being in force, the steamer Rio Grande, owned, as was alleged, by persons in Mexico, being in the port of Mobile, in the Southern District of Alabama, certain materialmen, on the 26th of November, 1867, filed separate libels against her in the district court for the said district.
- United States Supreme Court, The Rio Grande, 86 U.S. 178,179 (1873)
- (countable) A brief writing of any kind, especially a declaration, bill, certificate, request, supplication, etc.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)
- Wyclif Bible (Matthew v. 31)
- a libel of forsaking [divorcement]
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:slander
Translations
defamatory false written statement
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act or crime
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statement by the plaintiff
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any defamatory writing
- 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
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Verb
libel (third-person singular simple present libels, present participle (UK) libelling or (US) libeling, simple past and past participle (UK) libelled or (US) libeled)
- (transitive) To defame someone, especially in a manner that meets the legal definition of libel.
- He libelled her when he published that.
- Alexander Pope
- Some wicked wits have libelled all the fair.
- (law) To proceed against (a ship, goods, etc.) by filing a libel.
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:defame
Translations
to defame someone
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Derived terms
Terms derived from the noun or verb libel
See also
Anagrams
Dutch
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Noun
libel f (plural libellen, diminutive libelletje n)
- dragonfly, insect of the infraorder Anisoptera
- dragonfly or damselfly, insect of the order Odonata
Alternative forms
Hyponyms
- (insect of the order Odonata): beekjuffer, breedscheenjuffer, pantserjuffer, waterjuffer, winterjuffer
Etymology 2
From Latin libellus, diminutive of liber (“book”).
Noun
libel n (plural libellen, diminutive libelletje n)
Synonyms
References
- M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition) [Dutch dictionary in Dutch]
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- en:Law
- Requests for quotations/Chaucer
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