asperse

American  

[uh-spurs] / əˈspɜrs /

verb (used with object)

aspersed, aspersing

1. to attack with false, malicious, and damaging charges or insinuations; slander.

   Synonyms:

   traduce, abuse, malign

2. to sprinkle; bespatter.

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asperse British  

/ əˈspɜːs /

verb

1. to spread false rumours about; defame

2. rare to sprinkle, as with water in baptism

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Other Word Forms

• asperser noun
• aspersive adjective
• aspersively adverb
• unaspersed adjective
• unaspersive adjective

Etymology

Origin of asperse

1480–90; < Latin aspersus besprinkled (past participle of aspergere ), equivalent to a- a- ⁵ + -sper- (combining form of spar-, variant of sparg- sparge ) + -sus, variant of -tus past participle suffix

Example Sentences

With this threat blazoned, the British note went on to asperse individually and by name five officials of the Soviet Government.

From Time Magazine Archive

The hereditary duties of the King's Champion are to "gird himself in complete armor," ride out upon a noble charger, fling down his gauntlet, offer to fight all "liars and traitors" who asperse King Edward.

From Time Magazine Archive

But we may question whether the poet did not unduly idealize the past, as is the custom of poets, and whether he did not unfairly asperse the present.

From Americanisms and Briticisms with other essays on other isms by Matthews, Brander

Let no one write my epitaph; for as no man who knows my motives dares now to vindicate them, let not prejudice or ignorance asperse them.

From My Lords of Strogue Vol. III, (of III) A Chronicle of Ireland, from the Convention to the Union by Wingfield, Lewis

It is probably only those who have had the bad taste to eat bull-beef who have ever found occasion to asperse the reputation of Bison americanus as a beef animal.

From The Extermination of the American Bison by Hornaday, William Temple