slander

n. [ OE. sclandere, OF. esclandre, esclandle, escandre, F. esclandre, fr. L. scandalum, Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_; 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ We ] make the careful magistrate
The mark of slander. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Disgrace; reproach; dishonor; opprobrium. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou slander of thy mother's heavy womb. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]