libel

libel
n. & v.
—n.
1 Law a a published false statement damaging to a person's reputation (cf. SLANDER). b the act of publishing this.
2 a a false and defamatory written statement. b (foll. by on) a thing that brings discredit by misrepresentation etc. (the portrait is a libel on him; the book is a libel on human nature).
3 a (in civil and ecclesiastical law) the plaintiff's written declaration. b Sc. Law a statement of the grounds of a charge.
4 (in full public libel) Law the publication of a libel that also involves the criminal law.
—v.tr. (libelled, libelling; US libeled, libeling)
1 defame by libellous statements.
2 accuse falsely and maliciously.
3 Law publish a libel against.
4 (in ecclesiastical law) bring a suit against.
Phrases and idioms:
criminal libel Law a deliberate defamatory statement in a permanent form.
Derivatives:
libeller n.
Etymology: ME f. OF f. L libellus dimin. of liber book

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • libel — li·bel 1 / lī bəl/ n [Anglo French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber book] 1: complaint (1) used esp. in admiralty and divorce cases 2 a: a defamatory statement or representation esp. in the form of written or printed words; specif: a… …   Law dictionary

  • Libel — • A malicious publication by writing, printing, picture, effigy, sign, or otherwise than by mere speech, which exposes any living person, or the memory of any person deceased, to hatred, contempt, ridicule, or obloquy, or which causes or tends to …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Libel — Libel …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • libel — Ⅰ. libel UK US /ˈlaɪbəl/ noun [C or U] LAW ► something written or published that makes false or unfair statements that are likely to damage the reputation of a person or organization: libel suit/lawsuit »They filed a libel lawsuit against the… …   Financial and business terms

  • libel# — libel n Libel, skit, squib, lampoon, pasquinade mean a public and often satirical presentation of faults or weaknesses, especially those of an individual. Libel (compare libel vb under MALIGN) is the legal term for statement or representation (as …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • libel — LIBÉL s. v. diatribă, pamflet. Trimis de siveco, 13.09.2007. Sursa: Sinonime  libél s. n. libéle/libéluri Trimis de siveco, 10.08.2004. Sursa: Dicţionar ortografic  LIBÉL s.n. Scriere satirică asemănătoare cu pamfletul, dar mai violentă decât… …   Dicționar Român

  • Libel — Li bel (l[imac] b[e^]l), n. [L. libellus a little book, pamphlet, libel, lampoon, dim. of liber the liber or inner bark of a tree; also (because the ancients wrote on this bark), paper, parchment, or a roll of any material used to write upon, and …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • libel — libel, slander 1. Libel is a published false statement that is damaging to a person s reputation, whereas slander is a malicious false statement that is spoken about a person. In popular usage the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but the …   Modern English usage

  • libel — [lī′bəl] n. [ME, little book < OFr < L libellus, little book, writing, lampoon, dim. of liber, a book: see LIBRARY] 1. any false and malicious written or printed statement, or any sign, picture, or effigy, tending to expose a person to… …   English World dictionary

  • Libel — Li bel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Libeled} ( b[e^]ld) or {Libelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Libeling} or {Libelling}.] 1. To defame, or expose to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule, by a writing, picture, sign, etc.; to lampoon. [1913 Webster] Some wicked …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • libel — [n] purposeful lie about someone, often malicious aspersion, calumny, defamation, denigration, lying, malicious, obloquy, smear, vituperation; concepts 63,318 Ant. compliment, praise libel [v] purposefully lie about someone asperse, bad mouth*,… …   New thesaurus

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