asperse, v.
(əˈspɜːs)
Also 7 asperce.
[f. L. aspers- ppl. stem of asperg-ĕre: see asperge. Cf. aspersé in Cotgr.]
Always trans.
1. To besprinkle, bespatter (a person or thing) with.
| 1490 Caxton Eneydos xxiv. 90 She dide asperse the place with the waters. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 174 There are Foxes aspersed over with black spots. 1659 Lestrange Alliance Div. Off. viii. (1846) 368 The child is thrice to be aspersed with water on the face. 1843 Thackeray Irish Sk.-Bk. (1863) 157 The people, as they entered, aspersed themselves with all their might. |
2. To sprinkle, scatter (liquid, dust, etc.).
| 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 6 With some golden hair aspersed among the residue. 1815 Southey Roderick xxv. 487 Blood, which hung on every hair, Aspersed like dew-drops. |
† 3. To sprinkle in as an ingredient, intermingle.
| 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Pref. 6 Except he had in the moste desired birthe of the same, aspersed the deathe of your mooste dere Mother: we should by our immoderate felicitee have tempted and provoked hym to take you bothe from vs. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 65 Making a plaister thereof with Barley meal and a little Brimstone aspersed. |
4. To bespatter (a person, his character, etc.) with damaging reports, false and injurious charges or imputations. In 17th c.: Injuriously and falsely to charge with.
| 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. viii. 40 Monkish humours haue aspersed other such men with bitter reproaches. 1662 J. Bargrave Pope Alex. VII (1867) 53 He is unjustly aspersed with pride. 1790 Paley Hor. Paul. Rom. i. 10 The calumnies with which the Jews had aspersed him. 1817 Jas. Mill Brit. India III. i. 27 The criminations with which the leaders..appeared desirous of aspersing one another. |
† b. with flattery or praise. Obs. rare.
| 1702 Rowe Ambit. Step-Moth. (ed. 2) Ded., Men of your Lordship's Figure and Station..ought [not] to be aspers'd with such Pieces of Flattery while living. |
5. To spread false and injurious charges against; to detract from, slander, calumniate, traduce, defame, vilify: a. a person.
| 1647 Sanderson 21 Serm. Ad Aul. (1673) 216 Aspersing those that are otherwise minded than themselves. 1660 Stanley Hist. Philos. 170/2 Xenophon asperseth him, that he went thither to share in the Sicilian Luxury. 1771 Junius Lett. xliv. 240 A libel tending to asperse or vilify the house of Commons. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xiii, There were foul tongues to asperse a Douglas. |
b. character, reputation, honour, etc.
| 1651 W.G. tr. Cowel's Inst. 215 He asperceth the credit and reputation of another by approbrious words. 1868 Geo. Eliot F. Holt 49 Has any one been aspersing your husband's character? |
† 6. To sprinkle, cast (a damaging imputation or false charge) upon. Obs. rare.
| 1630 R. Brathwait Eng. Gentl. (1641) 7 He can asperse no greater imputation on Gentry. 1635 ― Arcad. Pr. 243 Nor asperse upon the republike so foule a stain. |