Detraction

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Detraction \De*trac"tion\, n. [F. d['e]traction, L. detractio.]
     1. A taking away or withdrawing. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The detraction of the eggs of the said wild fowl.
                                                    --Bacon.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The act of taking away from the reputation or good name of
        another; a lessening or cheapening in the estimation of
        others; the act of depreciating another, from envy or
        malice; calumny.
  
     Syn: Depreciation; disparagement; derogation; slander;
          calumny; aspersion; censure.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  detraction
       n 1: a petty disparagement [syn: {petty criticism}]
       2: the act of discrediting or detracting from someone's
          reputation (especially by slander); "let it be no
          detraction from his merits to say he is plainspoken"

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  24 Moby Thesaurus words for "detraction":
     aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, calumniation,
     calumny, character assassination, damage, defamation, depreciation,
     disparagement, harm, hurt, injury, injustice, libel, libeling,
     maligning, scandal, slander, sycophancy, tale, vilification,
     wrong