aspersion

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: as=per=sion

CIDE DICTIONARY

aspersion, n. [L. aspersio, fr. aspergere: cf. F. aspersion.].

•  A sprinkling, as with water or dust, in a literal sense.  [1913 Webster]

  "Behold an immersion, not and aspersion."  [1913 Webster]
•  The spreading of calumniations reports or charges which tarnish reputation, like the bespattering of a body with foul water; calumny.  [1913 Webster]

  "Every candid critic would be ashamed to cast wholesale aspersions on the entire body of professional teachers."  [1913 Webster]

  "Who would by base aspersions blot thy virtue."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

aspersion, n.

Idiom

cast aspersions on attack the reputation or integrity of.

Etymology

L aspersio (as ASPERSE, -ION)

THESAURUS

aspersion

abuse, adverse criticism, affront, affusion, agape, allegation, animadversion, aspergation, asperges, atrocity, auricular confession, backbiting, bad notices, bad press, baptism, baptismal gown, baptismal regeneration, baptistery, baptizement, bar mitzvah, bas mitzvah, brickbat, calumny, captiousness, carping, cavil, caviling, celebration, censoriousness, chrismal, christening, circumcision, confession, confirmation, contempt, contumely, criticism, cut, defamation, despite, detraction, disparagement, dump, enormity, exception, faultfinding, flak, flout, flouting, font, gibe, hairsplitting, high celebration, hit, home thrust, hostile criticism, humiliation, hypercriticalness, hypercriticism, immersion, imputation, incense, indignity, infusion, injury, innuendo, insinuation, insult, invective, invocation, invocation of saints, jeer, jeering, kiss of peace, knock, lampoon, lesser litany, libel, litany, love feast, lustration, mock, mockery, muck, nagging, niggle, niggling, nit, nit-picking, obloquy, offense, outrage, overcriticalness, pasquinade, pax, personal remark, personality, pestering, pettifogging, priggishness, processional, put-down, quibble, quibbling, rap, reciting the rosary, reflection, reproachfulness, scandal, scoff, scurrility, skit, slam, slander, slur, sly suggestion, sprinkling, squib, stricture, suggestion, swipe, taking exception, taunt, telling of beads, the confessional, the confessionary, total immersion, trichoschistism, uncomplimentary remark, vituperation, whispering campaign

ROGET THESAURUS

aspersion

Dispersion

N nonassemblage, dispersion, dispersion, disjunction, divergence, aspersion, scattering, dissemination, diffusion, dissipation, distribution, apportionment, spread, respersion, circumfusion, interspersion, spargefaction, affusion, waifs and estrays, flotsam and jetsam, disjecta membra waveson, unassembled &c (assemble), dispersed, sparse, dispread, broadcast, sporadic, widespread, epidemic, adrift, stray, disheveled, streaming, sparsim, here and there, passim.

Rite

N rite, ceremony, ritual, liturgy, ceremonial, ordinance, observance, function, duty, form, formulary, solemnity, sacrament, incantation, service, psalmody, ministration, preaching, preachment, predication, sermon, homily, lecture, discourse, pastoral, baptism, christening, chrism, circumcision, baptismal regeneration, font, confirmation, imposition of hands, laying on of hands, ordination, excommunication, Bar Mitzvah, Bas Mitzvah, Bris, Eucharist, Lord's supper, communion, the sacrament, the holy sacrament, celebration, high celebration, missa cantata, asperges, offertory, introit, consecration, consubstantiation, transubstantiation, real presence, elements, mass, high mass, low mass, dry mass, matrimony, burial, visitation of the sick, seven sacraments, impanation, subpanation, extreme unction, viaticum, invocation of saints, canonization, transfiguration, auricular confession, maceration, flagellation, sackcloth and ashes, penance, telling of beads, processional, thurification, incense, holy water, aspersion, relics, rosary, beads, reliquary, host, cross, rood, crucifix, pax, pyx, agnus Dei, censer, thurible, patera, eileton, Holy Grail, prayer machine, prayer wheel, Sangraal, urceus, ritualism, ceremonialism, sabbatism, sabbatarianism, ritualist, sabbatarian, holyday, feast, fast, Sabbath, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Passion week, Holy week, Easter, Easter Sunday, Whitsuntide, agape, Ascension Day, Candlemas, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Lammas, Martinmas, Michaelmas, All SAint's DAy, All Souls' Day, Ramadan, Ramazan, Bairam Passover, Shabuoth, Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, Rosh Hashana, New Year, Hanukkah, Chanukkah, Feast of Lights, Purim, Feast of lots, ritual, ritualistic, ceremonial, baptismal, eucharistical, paschal, what art thou, thou idol ceremony?.

Malediction

N malediction, malison, curse, imprecation, denunciation, execration, anathema, ban, proscription, excommunication, commination, thunders of the Vatican, fulmination, maranatha, aspersion, disparagement, vilification, vituperation, abuse, foul language, bad language, strong language, unparliamentary language, billingsgate, sauce, evil speaking, cursing, profane swearing, oath, foul invective, ribaldry, rude reproach, scurrility, threat, more bark than bite, invective, cursing, cursed, Int, woe to!, beshrew!, ruat coelum!, ill betide, woe betide, confusion seize!, damn!, damn it!, damn you!, damn you to hell!, go to hell!, go to blazes!, confound!, blast!, curse!, devil take!, hang!, out with!, a plague upon!, out upon!, aroynt!, honi soit!, parbleu!, delenda est Carthago.

Detraction

N detraction, disparagement, depreciation, vilification, obloquy, scurrility, scandal, defamation, aspersion, traducement, slander, calumny, obtrectation, evil-speaking, backbiting, scandalum magnatum, personality, libel, lampoon, skit, pasquinade, chronique scandaleuse, roorback, sarcasm, cynicism, criticism (disapprobation), invective, envenomed tongue, spretae injuria formae, personality, libel, lampoon, skit, pasquinade, chronique scandaleuse, roorback, detractor, detracting, defamatory, detractory, derogatory, deprecatory, catty, disparaging, libelous, scurrile, scurrilous, abusive, foul- spoken, foul-tongued, foul-mouthed, slanderous, calumnious, calumniatory, sarcastic, sardonic, sarcastic, satirical, cynical, critical, damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, and without sneering, teach the rest to sneer, another lie nailed to the counter, cut men's throats with whisperings, foul whisperings are abroad, soft-buzzing slander, virtue itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes.