Asperse

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /əˈspɜːs/

Definitions

1. To falsely accuse an individual of wrongdoing or to damage their reputation through the dissemination of disparaging remarks
2. To harm the reputation of a person by making untruthful and harmful claims about them
3. To speak damaging and false statements about a person in order to harm their reputation

Etymology: Asperse began as a literal act of sprinkling. Its Latin source, "aspergere," meant "to sprinkle upon" or "to besprinkle," built from "ad" (toward) and "spargere" (to scatter, which also gives English "sparse" and "disperse"). Latin speakers used it for splashing liquid onto something, and the sense carried into religious life, where sprinkling with holy water was a ritual act. English took the verb from the past participle "aspersus," and for centuries it kept that watery sense, meaning to scatter or spray something over a surface. The move to figurative use came later, and the modern meaning, to cast false or damaging claims on someone's reputation, grew out of the image of splashing something dirty onto a person. Today the word is mostly found in the phrase "to asperse someone's character," where the sprinkling has become mud.

Synonyms: slander, defame, malign, libel, smear

Antonyms: praise, acclaim, commend, applaud, laud