▪ I. † disˈclander, n. Obs.
Forms: 4–6 des-, dys-, discla(u)nder, -dre, -dir, -dyr, 5 disclandar, disklander, deslaundre, 5–6 disla(u)nder, -dre, dyssclaunder.
[a. AF. *desclandre, disclaunder (15th c.) deriv. of OF. escla-ndre, earlier escandre, escandle, escandele:—L. scandalum: see esclandre; cf. scandal and slander. The prefix des- in Anglo-Fr. was prob. due to some analogy, or to confusion of des- and es-.]
1. Malicious speech bringing opprobrium upon any one; slander.
| c 1300 Beket 2073 Thu missaist foule thine owe louerd..Ho miȝte suffri such desclandre, bot he nome wrecche? 1471 Arriv. Edw. IV (Camden) 21 The false, faynyd fables, and disclandars, that..were wont to be seditiously sowne and blowne abowt all the land. 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI, 99 b, He declareth you a true man to hym.. the saied dislaunder and noysyng notwithstandyng. 1562 in Stow's Surv. (1754) II. v. xxi. 411/2 If their offences be great..offending his master by theft or dislander or such like, then to command him to Newgate. |
2. Reproach or reprobation called forth by what is considered shameful or wrong; public disgrace or opprobrium; scandal.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 75, I haue..Ablamed him behynde his bak to bringe him in disclaundre. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 536 (564) For yf I wolde it openly distourbe, It most ben disclaundre to here name. 1402 Hoccleve Letter of Cupid 70 No worshippe may he thus to him conquere, but grete disclander vnto him and here! 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) V. 143 The disclaunder of your ylle disposicion scholde not be knowen amonge your enmyes. 1462 J. Paston in Paston Lett. No. 439. II. 89 To deliver seison accordynge to the same feffement, to the gret disclaundre of the seid Sir John and all his. 1531–2 Act 23 Hen. VIII, c. 1 [They] suffre them to make their purgacions..to the greatte disclaunder of suche as pursue suche misdoers. |
▪ II. † disˈclander, v. Obs.
Forms: see prec.
[ME. desclandre, f. prec. n., perh. through an AF. *desclandre-r for OF. esclandrer to slander.]
1. trans. To speak evil of, so as to expose to opprobrium; to slander.
| c 1290 Beket 1246 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 142 Þe bischopes comen bi-fore And desclaundreden seint thomas, þat he was fals and for-suore. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 138 Þes proude..possessioners disclaundren trewe prechours. 14.. E.E. Misc. (Warton Club) 63 Awyse the welle who syttys the by, Lest he wylle report thi talle, And dyssclaundure the after to gret and smalle. 1530 Palsgr. 513/2, I desclaunder, I hurte or hynder ones good name by reporte. |
2. To bring into public disgrace or opprobrium; to bring scandal upon.
| c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1031 Dido, We that weryn in prosperite Been now disclanderyd. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 143 Now as ye seen, for disobedience Disclaundrid is perpetually my name. a 1483 Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. (1790) 70 That the owner be not hurte, nor this famous courte disclaunderyd by any outerage of cravinge or crakyng. |