\Slan"der\, n. [OE. sclandere, OF. esclandre, esclandle,
escandre, F. esclandre, fr. L. scandalum, Gr. ??? 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.

         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.

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



2. Disgrace; reproach; dishonor; opprobrium.

         Thou slander of thy mother's heavy womb. --Shak.

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.

\Slan"der\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Slandered}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Slandering}.]
1. To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false
   report; to tarnish or impair the reputation of by false
   tales maliciously told or propagated; to calumniate.

         O, do not slander him, for he is kind. --Shak.

2. To bring discredit or shame upon by one's acts.

         Tax not so bad a voice To slander music any more
         than once.                            --Shak.

Syn: To asperse; defame; calumniate; vilify; malign; belie;
     scandalize; reproach. See {Asperse}.