asperse

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: as=perse

CIDE DICTIONARY

asperse, v. t. [L. aspersus, p. p. of aspergere to scatter, sprinkle; ad + spargere to strew. See Sparse.].

•  To sprinkle, as water or dust, upon anybody or anything, or to besprinkle any one with a liquid or with dust.  Heywood.  [1913 Webster]
•  To bespatter with foul reports or false and injurious charges; to tarnish in point of reputation or good name; to slander or calumniate; as, to asperse a poet or his writings; to asperse a man's character.  [1913 Webster]

  "With blackest crimes aspersed."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To slander; defame; detract from; calumniate; vilify.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

asperse, v.tr. (often foll. by with) attack the reputation of; calumniate.

Etymology

ME, = besprinkle, f. L aspergere aspers- (as AD-, spargere sprinkle)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

asperse

v.t. Maliciously to ascribe to another vicious actions which one has not had the temptation and opportunity to commit.

THESAURUS

asperse

affront, calumniate, christen, defame, denigrate, deride, immerse, insult, libel, mock, offend, scandal, scandalize, slander, slur, sprinkle, taunt, traduce

ROGET THESAURUS

asperse

Detraction

VB detract, derogate, decry, deprecate, depreciate, disparage, run down, cry down, backcap, belittle, sneer at, criticize, pull to pieces, pick a hole in one's coat, asperse, cast aspersions, blow upon, bespatter, blacken, vilify, vilipend, avile, give a dog a bad name, brand, malign, muckrake, backbite, libel, lampoon, traduce, slander, defame, calumniate, bear false witness against, speak ill of behind one's back, fling dirt, anathematize, dip the pen in gall, view in a bad light, impugn (disparage the motives of), assail, attack, oppose, denounce, accuse.