libel (verb)
1libel — li·bel 1 / lī bəl/ n [Anglo French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber book] 1: complaint (1) used esp. in admiralty and divorce cases 2 a: a defamatory statement or representation esp. in the form of written or printed words; specif: a… …
2libel — Ⅰ. libel UK US /ˈlaɪbəl/ noun [C or U] LAW ► something written or published that makes false or unfair statements that are likely to damage the reputation of a person or organization: libel suit/lawsuit »They filed a libel lawsuit against the… …
3libel — libel, slander 1. Libel is a published false statement that is damaging to a person s reputation, whereas slander is a malicious false statement that is spoken about a person. In popular usage the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but the …
4libel — ► NOUN 1) Law the publication of a false statement that is damaging to a person s reputation. Compare with SLANDER(Cf. ↑slanderous). 2) a written defamation. ► VERB (libelled, libelling; US libeled, libeling …
5libel — I. noun Etymology: Middle English, written declaration, from Anglo French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber book Date: 14th century 1. a. a written statement in which a plaintiff in certain courts sets forth the cause of action or the… …
6libel — [[t]la͟ɪb(ə)l[/t]] libels, libelling, libelled (in AM, use libeling, libeled) 1) N VAR Libel is a written statement which wrongly accuses someone of something, and which is therefore against the law. Compare slander. [LEGAL] Warren sued him for… …
7libel — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ alleged ▪ criminal, seditious VERB + LIBEL ▪ sue (sb) for ▪ claim ▪ …
8libel — 1 noun (C, U) an act of writing or printing untrue statements about someone so that other people are likely to have a bad opinion of them: Holt sued the newspaper for libel. | a libel action (=a court case against someone for libel) compare… …
9libel — I UK [ˈlaɪb(ə)l] / US noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms libel : singular libel plural libels legal the illegal act of writing things about someone that are not true See: slander II UK [ˈlaɪb(ə)l] / US verb [transitive] Word forms libel :… …
10libel — 1. noun /ˈlaɪbəl/ a) A written (notably as handbill) or pictorial statement which unjustly seeks to damage someones reputation. b) The act or crime of displaying such a statement publicly …
