aspersev.
/əˈspəːs/, U.S. /əˈspərs/, /æˈspərs/ Always transitive.† 3. To sprinkle in as an ingredient, intermingle.† 6. To sprinkle, cast (a damaging imputation or false charge) upon. Obsolete. rare.
1. To besprinkle, bespatter (a person or thing) with.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > liquid flow > action or process of sprinkling > sprinkle liquid or something with liquid [verb (transitive)]
strinklea1300
sprinkc1390
springle?a1425
sprinkle?a1425
asperse1490
asperge1547
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > scatter [verb (transitive)] > sprinkle > sprinkle (a surface) with something
besprengc1000
strinklea1300
to-sprenga1382
sparkle14..
sprinkle?a1425
besprinklec1440
asperse1490
spray1527
asperge1547
pepper?1605
bepeps1622
conspergate1623
bescatter1631
spurtle1633
spatter1647
consperge1657
superfuse1657
bespatter1674
superseminate1699
asperge1721
sparge1786
spray1861
1490 W. Caxton tr. Eneydos xxiv. 90 She dide asperse the place with the waters.
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 221 There are Foxes aspersed ouer with blacke spots.
1659 H. L'Estrange Alliance Divine Offices viii. 247 The Child is thrice to be aspersed with water on the face.
1843 W. M. Thackeray Irish Sketch-bk. I. xiii. 245 The people, as they entered, aspersed themselves with all their might.
2. To sprinkle, scatter (liquid, dust, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > scatter [verb (transitive)] > sprinkle
warpc1000
sprengeOE
strenkc1175
springa1387
bespring1387
sprinkc1390
sprinklea1400
strinklec1400
springle?a1425
sprinkle?a1425
sprainc1440
bespreng1496
oversprinkle?1548
overstrew1570
besprent1573
insperse1587
insperge1599
asperse1607
besprink1609
disparple?1615
spark1637
swiggle1683
twirl1763
sparkle1787
bespatter1813
spray1829
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 8 With some golden hair aspersed among the residue.
1814 R. Southey Roderick xxv. 340 Blood, which hung on every hair, Aspersed like dew-drops.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > condition or state of being mixed or blended > mix or blend [verb (transitive)] > add as ingredient to a mixture > by sprinkling
asperse1548
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Pref. 6 Except he had in the moste desired birthe of the same, aspersed the deathe of your mooste dere Mother: we should by our immoderate felicitee have tempted and provoked hym to take you bothe from vs.
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 84 Making a plaster thereof with Barley meale and a little Brimston aspersed.
4. † b. with flattery or praise. Obsolete. rare.
a. To bespatter (a person, a person's character, etc.) with damaging reports, false and injurious charges or imputations. In 17th cent.: Injuriously and falsely to charge with.
ΚΠ
1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. ix. viii. 497/1 Monkish humors haue aspersed other such men with bitter reproches.
a1680 J. Bargrave Pope Alexander VII (1867) i. xxv. 53 He is unjustly aspersed with pride.
1790 W. Paley Horæ Paulinæ Rom. i. 10 The calumnies with which the Jews had aspersed him.
1817 J. Mill Hist. Brit. India III. vi. i. 27 The criminations, with which the leaders..appeared desirous of aspersing one another.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > flattery or flattering > flatter [verb (transitive)]
flatter?c1225
flackera1250
slickc1250
blandishc1305
blandc1315
glozec1330
beflatter1340
curryc1394
elkena1400
glaverc1400
anointa1425
glotherc1480
losenge1480
painta1513
to hold in halsc1560
soothe1580
smooth1584
smooth1591
soothe1601
pepper1654
palp1657
smoothify1694
butter1700
asperse1702
palaver1713
blarney1834
sawder1834
soft-soap1835
to cock up1838
soft-solder1838
soother1842
behoney1845
soap1853
beslaver1861
beslobber1868
smarm1902
sugar1923
sweetmouth1948
smooth-talk1950
1702 N. Rowe Ambitious Step-mother (ed. 2) Ded. Men of your Lordship's Figure and Station..ought [not] to be aspers'd with such Pieces of Flattery while living.
5. To spread false and injurious charges against; to detract from, slander, calumniate, traduce, defame, vilify:
a. a person.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > slander or calumny > slander or calumniate [verb (transitive)]
to say or speak shame of, on, byc950
teleeOE
sayOE
to speak evil (Old English be) ofc1000
belie?c1225
betell?c1225
missayc1225
skandera1300
disclanderc1300
wrenchc1300
bewrayc1330
bite1330
gothele1340
slanderc1340
deprave1362
hinderc1375
backbite1382
blasphemec1386
afamec1390
fame1393
to blow up?a1400
defamea1400
noise1425
to say well (also evil, ill, etc.) of (also by)1445
malignc1450
to speak villainy of1470
infame1483
injury1484
painta1522
malicea1526
denigrate1526
disfamea1533
misreporta1535
sugill?1539
dishonest?c1550
calumniate1554
scandalize1566
ill1577
blaze1579
traduce1581
misspeak1582
blot1583
abuse1592
wronga1596
infamonize1598
vilify1598
injure?a1600
forspeak1601
libel1602
infamize1605
belibel1606
calumnize1606
besquirt1611
colly1615
scandala1616
bedirt1622
soil1641
disfigurea1643
sycophant1642
spatter1645
sugillate1647
bespattera1652
bedung1655
asperse1656
mischieve1656
opprobriatea1657
reflect1661
dehonestate1663
carbonify1792
defamate1810
mouth1810
foul-mouth1822
lynch1836
rot1890
calumny1895
ding1903
bad-talk1938
norate1938
bad-mouth1941
monster1967
1656 R. Sanderson 20 Serm. 301 Aspersing those that are otherwise minded then themselves.
1656 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. II. v. 30 Xenophon asperseth him, that he went thither to share in the Sicilian luxury.
1771 ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) II. xliv. 164 A libel, tending to asperse or vilify the house of commons.
1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth i, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. II. 7 There were foul tongues to asperse a Douglas.
b. character, reputation, honour, etc.
ΚΠ
1651 W. G. tr. J. Cowell Inst. Lawes Eng. 215 He asperceth the credit and reputation of another by approbrious words.
1866 ‘G. Eliot’ Felix Holt I. iv. 97 Has any one been aspersing your husband's character?
ΚΠ
1630 R. Brathwait Eng. Gentleman 13 He can asperse no greater imputation on Gentry.
1635 R. Brathwait tr. M. Silesio Arcadian Princesse 243 Nor asperse upon the republike so foule a stain.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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