† defamous, a. Obs.
[a. AF. deffamous, OF. type *deffameux, f. diffame n., defame: cf. famous, infamous. (The stress varies in the metrical examples.)]
a. Infamous, disgraceful. b. Defamatory.
| c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. lii. (1869) 32 No sinne so fowl, so defamowse. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas iii. x. (1554) 84 a, A word defamous, most foule in al languages. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems (1893) lix. 10 With rycht defamowss speiche off lordis. 1557 North Gueuara's Diall Pr. 61 b/2 To haue set on his graue so defamous a title. 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. II. Kk j (N.), There was a knighte that spake defamous words of him. |
Hence defamously (diff-) adv., defamatorily.
| 1557 R. Allerton in S. R. Maitland Ess. Reform. 556 (D.) Whereupon should your lordship gather or say of me so diffamously? |