aspersion

From Latin aspersiōnem, from aspersiō (“sprinkling”).

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aspersion (plural aspersions)

1. An attack on somebody's reputation or good name, often in the phrase to cast aspersions upon…. [from late 16th c.]

   Synonyms: calumny, slander; see also Thesaurus:slander

   • 1799, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, “Resolutions of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania to Kentucky”, in State Documents on Federal Relations, University of Pennsylvania, published 1906, page 21:

     No criminality can be infered or punishment inflicted, but for writing, printing, uttering, or publishing false, scandalous and malicious aspersions against the government.

   • 1911, Joseph Conrad, Under Western Eyes‎:

     Even the comfort of the bottle might conceivably fail him in this supreme crisis. At such an age nothing but a halter could cure the pangs of an unquenchable passion. And, besides, there was the wild exasperation aroused by the unjust aspersions and the contumely of the house, with the maddening impossibility to account for that mysterious thrashing, added to these simple and bitter sorrows.

   • 2023 June 30, Marina Hyde, “The tide is coming in fast on Rishi Sunak – and it’s full of sewage”, in The Guardian‎:

     Back in 2018, the body representing the water industry was snorting at Gove’s aspersions, declaring hotly that it looked forward to its pet regulator “bringing some sorely needed facts and balance to the debate”.

2. (obsolete) A sprinkling, especially of holy water.
   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

     If thou dost break her virgin knot before
     All sanctimonious ceremonies may
     With full and holy rite be minister'd,
     No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
     To make this contract grow; but barren hate […]

• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “aspersion”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

• repassion

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aspersion f (plural aspersions)

1. aspersion
2. sprinkling

• “aspersion”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.