Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person's reputation.
- n. The act of presenting such material to the public.
- n. The written claims presented by a plaintiff in an action at admiralty law or to an ecclesiastical court.
- v. To publish a libel about (a person). See Synonyms at malign.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A writing of any kind; a written declaration or certificate.
- n. In admiralty law, Scots law, and English ecclesiastical law, a writing or document instituting a suit and containing the plaintiff's allegations.
- n. A lampoon.
- n. A defamatory writing made public; a malicious and injurious publication, expressed in printing or writing, or by signs or pictures, tending either to injure the memory of one dead or the reputation of one alive, and to expose him to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule.
- n. The crime of publishing a libel: as, he was guilty of libel.
- n. In general, defamation; a defamatory remark or act; malicious misrepresentation in conversation or otherwise; anything intended or which tends to bring a person or thing into disrepute.
- n. Synonyms See asperse and lampoon.
- In admiralty law, Scots law, and English ecclesiastical law, to serve a libel upon; institute suit against; present a formal charge against for trial, as against a clergyman for conduct unbecoming his office, or against a ship or goods for a violation of the laws of trade or revenue. See libel, n., 2.
- To defame or expose to public hatred or contempt by a malicious and injurious publication, as a writing, picture, or the like; lampoon.
- Synonyms Defame, Calumniate, etc. See asperse.
- To spread defamation, written or printed: with against.
- n. In law, a petition for a decree in divorce.
Wiktionary
- n. A written (notably as handbill) or pictorial statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation.
- n. uncountable The act or crime of displaying such a statement publicly.
- v. transitive To defame someone, especially in a manner that meets the legal definition of libel.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. obsolete A brief writing of any kind, esp. a declaration, bill, certificate, request, supplication, etc.
- n. Any defamatory writing; a lampoon; a satire.
- n. (Law) A malicious publication expressed either in print or in writing, or by pictures, effigies, or other signs, tending to expose another to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule. Such publication is indictable at common law.
- n. (Law) The crime of issuing a malicious defamatory publication.
- n. (Civil Law & Courts of Admiralty) A written declaration or statement by the plaintiff of his cause of action, and of the relief he seeks.
- v. To defame, or expose to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule, by a writing, picture, sign, etc.; to lampoon.
- v. (Law) To proceed against by filing a libel, particularly against a ship or goods.
- v. obsolete To spread defamation, written or printed; -- with against.
WordNet 3.0
- n. the written statement of a plaintiff explaining the cause of action (the defamation) and any relief he seeks
- n. a false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person
- v. print slanderous statements against
Etymologies
- From Old French libelle, from Latin libellus ("petition"). (Wiktionary)
- Middle English, litigant's written complaint, from Old French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber, book. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“April except (1) Dr. Royce's insistence that my reply to his first libel should _not be published at all without his second libel_, and”
“Jill and Gretta are apparently on the job and both using the term libel as if they knew what it meant.”
“A thrush forgets in a year," which I call a libel on one of our most intelligent birds; or cry, with another singer,”
“The old man, not knowing to whom to ascribe the (what he termed libel,) vented his malice on me, by asserting that I was the author of it, of which I was perfectly innocent: but he made my master believe it.”
Life of William Grimes, the Runaway Slave. Written by Himself
“As to his defence having been abandoned, we refer your Lordships to the last petition laid by him upon your table, (that libellous petition, which we speak of as a libel upon the House of Commons,) and which has no validity but as it asserts a matter of fact from the petitioner; and there you will find that he has declared explicitly, that, for the accommodation and ease of this business, and for its expedition, he did abandon his defence at a certain period.”
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 12 (of 12)
“Most notably, Prof Caplan maintains that the right of an employee to sue for slander or libel is a punishment for "honesty.”
“Perhaps CAP will push US News to issue a correction … but unless the libel is personal and derogatory then yawn …”
“However, it's a legal principle that public figures have a much higher bar to reach in libel and slander suits.”
“When she spread rumors using her blog defaming Governor Palin she has forgotten something; defamation of character or libel is a CRIME.”
“U R putting it to Lenn to have him aid you in libel ... as your name suggest do you have him over a barrel?”
Wineries Open Their Libraries With Older Finger Lakes Rieslings
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘libel’.
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This is not a list
you know that thing where the Eskimos have 50 words for snow?
little white lie, big lie, the Big Lie, economical with t..., muddy the waters, fabrication, deception, lies, damned lies..., façade, slander, omission, web of lies and 159 more...
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4087 more...
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POL - elections
announcement of c..., campaign headquar..., campaign season, campaign staff, campaign strategy, campaign tactic, campaign team, campaign trail, campaigning, candidate, candidate registr..., caucus and 930 more...
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JURI - courtroom speak
Legal glossary with special focus on courtroom vocabulary
accused, acquittal, ADA, adjournment, adjudication, affidavit, affirmed, aggravated range, aggravating factors, allegation, alleged, answer and 794 more...
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Words that can be spelled on an upsid...
Imagine my joy when I was wearing my calculator watch and was first introduced to someone named Leslie - there was exactly enough room on the display for 317537.14.
Edit: I've discove...hi, hello, leslie, sheesh, she, bells, hells, hog, boss, goggles, he, bob and 233 more...
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How Dare You!
The ways and means of insult
belaud, asteism, charientism, slander, libel, disparage, asperse, denigrate, defame, dis, mycterism, execrate and 2 more...
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big book gre
abase, abbess, abbey, abbot, abdicate, abdomen, abdominal, abduction, abed, aberration, abet, abeyance and 6691 more...
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gre2
aberrant, aberration, aboveboard, abrasive, abstemious, acme, admonish, affable, affluent, alacrity, allegory, alleviate and 1834 more...
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kalidas's Words
crepuscular, mellifluous, ephemeral, diaphanous, zeitgeist, geisterfahrer, infinite, eternal, idyllic, azure, reminiscent, oblivion and 521 more...
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Week 1, Day 1
ignominy, marquee, deter, chariot, stern, perfidy, treacherous, insolent, presumptuous, banish, dubious, livid and 133 more...
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Vocab
Words that I come across, and go blank, or want to clarify.
nefarious, edifice, malevolent, ostensible, folderol, bauble, livid, amnesty, calculus, saddlery, maisonette, cuisse and 423 more...
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Just 'cause I like 'em, L
lisle, lahar, loupe, labret, latten, luster, lagomorph, lamentation, limicole, lunge, lobtail, latifolious and 182 more...
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NTDW1
template, modal, sublingual, tandem, polycentric, septuagenarian, token, irrevocable, denotive, augural, aberrant, phlebotomy and 1188 more...
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My Revised GRE Preparation List
Words from the new GRE : This list consists mostly of words from the book Magoosh-GRE-vocab-ebook, which is one of the best vocab materials available, especially if you have started preparing one ...
mulct, dupe, pittance, stipend, defray, cupidity, avarice, prodigal, profligate, affluent, insolvent, penurious and 533 more...
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Ny New Words
From Barron Wordlist the New Words
lap, lank, languor, languish, lancet, lance, lampoon, larceny, larder, largess, lascivious, latitude and 120 more...
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Vocab++
Words as I learn them.
fetid, mezzanine, hiatus, austerity, subliminal, resplendent, implacable, impugn, debase, exiguous, cirque, holster and 2538 more...
Tweets
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