Scandal \Scan"dal\, v. t.
   1. To treat opprobriously; to defame; to asperse; to traduce;
      to slander. [R.]
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            I do fawn on men and hug them hard
            And after scandal them.               --Shak.
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   2. To scandalize; to offend. [Obs.] --Bp. Story.
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   Syn: To defame; traduce; reproach; slander; calumniate;
        asperse; vilify; disgrace.
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	Scandal \Scan"dal\, n. [F. scandale, fr. L. scandalum, Gr. ?, a
   snare laid for an enemy, a stumbling block, offense, scandal:
   cf. OE. scandle, OF. escandle. See Slander.]
   1. Offense caused or experienced; reproach or reprobation
      called forth by what is regarded as wrong, criminal,
      heinous, or flagrant: opprobrium or disgrace.
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            O, what a scandal is it to our crown,
            That two such noble peers as ye should jar! --Shak.
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            [I] have brought scandal
            To Israel, diffidence of God, and doubt
            In feeble hearts.                     --Milton.
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   2. Reproachful aspersion; opprobrious censure; defamatory
      talk, uttered heedlessly or maliciously.
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            You must not put another scandal on him. --Shak.
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            My known virtue is from scandal free. --Dryden.
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   3. (Equity) Anything alleged in pleading which is
      impertinent, and is reproachful to any person, or which
      derogates from the dignity of the court, or is contrary to
      good manners. --Daniell.
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   Syn: Defamation; detraction; slander; calumny; opprobrium;
        reproach; shame; disgrace.
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	scandal
    n 1: disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people
         [syn: scandal, dirt, malicious gossip]
    2: a disgraceful event [syn: scandal, outrage]

	

	80 Moby Thesaurus words for "scandal":
   abomination, abuse, asperse, aspersion, atrocity, backbiting,
   backstabbing, bad, badge of infamy, belittlement, bitchiness,
   black mark, black spot, blemish, burning shame, byword,
   byword of reproach, calumniate, calumniation, calumny, cattiness,
   character assassination, damage, defamation, defame, defilement,
   degradation, denigrate, depreciation, desecration, dirt,
   dirty shame, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disparagement,
   disrepute, embarrassment, error, evil, gossip column, humiliation,
   ignominy, infamy, iniquity, innuendo, insinuation, juicy morsel,
   knavery, libel, low-down dirty shame, malicious gossip, obliquity,
   obloquy, outrage, peccancy, pity, profanation, reproach, reprobacy,
   sacrilege, scandalize, scandalmongering, shame, sin, slander, slur,
   smear, smirch, spot, stigma, taint, tale, terrible thing, tidbit,
   traducement, villainy, violation, whispering campaign, wrong

	

	SCANDAL. A scandalous verbal report or rumor respecting some person. 
     2. The remedy is an action on the case. 
     3. In chancery practice, when a bill or other pleading contains 
scandal, it will be referred to a master to be expunged, and till this has 
been done, the opposite party need not answer. 3 Bl. Com. 342. Nothing is 
considered scandalous which is positively relevant to the cause, however 
harsh and gross the charge may be. The degree of relevancy is not deemed 
material. Coop. Eq. Pl. 19; 2 Ves. 24; 6 Ves. 514, 11 Ves. 626; 15 Ves. 477; 
Story Eq. Plo. Sec. 269 Vide Impertinent.