▪ I. defame, v.
(dɪˈfeɪm)
Forms: 4–7 diff-, 4–5 deff-, 4–6 dyff-, 6 diffame, 4– defame.
[ME. diffame-n and defame-n, a. OF. diffame-r, rarely desfamer, deffamer, defamer (mod.F. diffamer) = Pr. diffamar, It. diffamare, ad. L. diffāmāre to spread abroad by an ill report, f. dif- = dis- + fāma rumour, report, fame. In this word and its derivatives, while French retains the prefix as dis-, des-, dé-, Eng. has the form de-, prob. after med.L. dēfāmāre (Du Cange); cf. post-cl. L. dēfāmātus dishonoured, infamous, dēfāmis shameful.
(Etymologically, perhaps, sense 1 belongs to dēfāmāre, senses 2–4 to diffāmāre.)]
1. trans. To bring ill fame, infamy, or dishonour upon, to dishonour or disgrace in fact; to render infamous. Obs. or arch.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6571 For to make hym be ashamede Þat he shulde be so defamede. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 537 Me were leuere ded than hire defame. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxviii. 580 We ben dyffamed bi thys grete knave, that doth somoche labour. 1526 Tindale Matt. i. 19 Ioseph, loth to defame her. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 92 The hauen of Alexandria, newly defamed with a number of wracks. 1684 Contempl. State of Man i. ix. (1699) 103 Crimes so Infamous, as they not only defame the Person who commits them, but [etc.]. 1725 Pope Odyss. xix. 16 Lest..Dishonest wounds, or violence of soul, Defame the bridal feast. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. cxi. 23 The grand old name of gentleman, Defamed by every charlatan. |
2. To attack the good fame or reputation of (a person); to dishonour by rumour or report.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 11636, Y dar weyl seye þou hym dyffamest. c 1330 ― Chron. (1810) 321 Þe kyng did grete trespas, diffamed þe pape's se. c 1386 Chaucer Miller's Prol. 39 It is a synne..To apeyren eny man or him defame [v.r. diffame]. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xviii. v, I am now in certayne she is vntruly defamed. 1547 Homilies i. Love & Charity (1859) 67 Speak well of them that diffame you. 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. iv. iii. Wks. 1856 I. 122, I have defam'd this ladie wrongfully. 1701 De Foe True-born Eng. 34 He never fails his Neighbour to defame. 1837 Lytton E. Maltrav. 240 You would darkly slander him whom you cannot openly defame. 1883 Law Rep. 11 Q. Bench Div. 597 The plaintiff has been defamed, and has primâ facie a cause of action. |
† 3. To raise an imputation of (some specific offence) against (any one); to accuse. Const. also with with, by, or clause. Obs.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 8304 Ioye he haþ hym self to dyffame Of alle hys synnes. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xv. clix. (1495) 546 One Tenes..was deffamyd that he had lyen by his stepdame. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. v. (1885) 118 His creauncers shul..defame his highnes off mysgouernance. 1482 Caxton Trevisa's Higden vii. iii, One bisshop that was sharply defamed by symonye. 1564 Grindal Fun. Serm. Wks. (1843) 20 As diffaming him, that for ambition' sake he would do a thing contrary to his conscience. 1672 Cave Prim. Chr. iii. iv. (1673) 347 You defame us with Treason against the Emperour. 1736 Chandler Hist. Persec. 213 Others are defamed for heresy; such who are spoken against by common report. 1820 Scott Ivanhoe xxxviii, Rebecca..is, by many frequent and suspicious circumstances, defamed of sorcery. |
† 4. To publish, spread abroad, proclaim. [Rendering diffāmāre in the Vulgate]. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Wisd. ii. 12 He..defameth aȝen vs [Vulg. diffamat in nos] the synnes of oure disciplyne. ― Matt. ix. 31 Thei goynge out defameden [1388 diffameden] hym thorwȝ al that lond. ― 1 Thess. i. 8 Forsoth of ȝou the word of the Lord is defamyd, or moche told. |
▪ II. † defame, n. Obs.
(dɪˈfeɪm)
Forms: see the verb.
[ME. diffame and defame, a. OF. deffame (usually disfame, diffame), f. def-, diffamer, to defame. Cf. L. diffāmia (Augustine, 4th c.), f. *diffāmis (cf. dēfamis, and infāmis, infāmia), f. dis- privative + fāma fame.]
1. Ill fame, evil repute; dishonour, disgrace, infamy.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 12 Schyr Wilyame Off that purches had maist defame, For principale tharoff wes he. 1474 Caxton Chesse iii. vi. H iv, His vertue is torned to diffame. 1533 Bellenden Livy iii. (1822) 301 To the grete diffame and reproche of Romanis. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. iii. 38 So ought all faytours..From all brave knights be banisht with defame. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 146 Now he lieth obscurely buried, shrouded in the sheet of defame. 1630 Lord Persees 50 Such as are..of publique defame in the world for some evill. 1659 Crown Garland of Roses (1845) 60 Yet lives his famous name Without spot or defame. |
2. Defamation, slander, calumny.
| a 1450 Knt. de la Tour 2 Gret defames and sclaundres withoute cause. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) iv. xxi. 270 Those to whome he hath spoken the dyffame of his neyghbour. 1599 Porter Angry Wom. Abingd. in Hazl. Dodsley VII. 376 Mrs. Gour. She slandered my good name. Fran. But if she now deny it, 'tis no defame. 1609 Rowlands Knaue of Clubs 36 Fond men vniustly do abuse your names, With slaundrous speeches and most false defames. 1654 Whitlock Zootomia 447 Nibles at the Fame Of's absent Friend; and seems t' assent By silence to 's Defames. |