Definitions
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The act of spreading tales, especially such as are either untrue or in some way detrimental to the person concerned.
- Spreading stories or reports which are likely to do harm.
Wiktionary
- n. Spreading gossip or rumor.
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Telling tales officiously.
- n. The act of informing officiously; communication of sectrts, scandal, etc., maliciously.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. prone to communicate confidential information
Etymologies
- tale + bearing (Wiktionary)
Examples
“Again, “among your people” suggests that the problem of talebearing goes beyond the individual hurt and affects everybody.”
“Though Rebecca had had the better of him, George was above the meanness of talebearing or revenge upon a lady — only he could not help cleverly confiding to Captain Crawley, next day, some notions of his regarding Miss Rebecca — that she was a sharp one, a dangerous one, a desperate flirt, &c.; in all of which opinions Crawley agreed laughingly, and with every one of which”
“Very little open quarrelling ever took place amongst them; but backbiting and talebearing were universal.”
“I strongly disapprove of talebearing of any sort, and wish to hear no more of this.”
“Informers abounded where talebearing met with countenance and reward; and the sword was readily unsheathed when its success was certain, and it carved out empire.”
“Not everyone approved; but Philip was King, there was no getting past that; and no one loved either guardian well enough to risk the dangerous task of talebearing.”
“The ring of pupils around him, true to the child's creed of no talebearing, glanced at school books or lesson papers with preternaturally grave faces.”
“You know that I never favor talebearing, but, just as a matter of curiosity, is it the young man who passes the plate in church, or the one who sells ribbon in Marsh and Elkins's?”
“He had a score to settle with Josiah Wilby, a boy whose talebearing had procured him his last, well-earned whacking.”
“It put a premium on talebearing and resorted to most cruel means to convict those who earnestly denied that their beliefs were different from those of the Church.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘talebearing’.
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Gossiphoning
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nosy, snoopy, scuttlebutt, talebearing, echo chamber, tabloid, bruit, quidnunc, disinformation, rumor, interloper, meddler and 67 more...
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