Asperse

to attack with false, malicious, and damaging charges or insinuations; slander.
to sprinkle; bespatter.
contemporary examples

i don’t wish to asperse the fellow, but he does have a background as a republican staffer and operative.
who inspects the inspector? michael tomasky august 19, 2013

historical examples

for endeavoring to asperse your pet-tioner’s personal character in the most infamous manner.
colonel john brown, of pittsfield, m-ssachusetts, the brave accuser of benedict arnold archibald murray howe

now it is you that asperse the present, and i that will defend it.
v-ssall morton francis parkman

you may insult me; but you have no right to asperse the memory of my mother.
punch, or the london charivari, vol. 109, november 9th, 1895 various

it is thus thine ancient character they (let us hope) asperse.
punch, or the london charivari, vol. 98, april 26 1890 various

is it not grown so common a thing to asperse causelessly that no man wonders at it, that few dislike, that scarce any detest it?
sermons on evil-speaking isaac barrow

“not even scandal could asperse her motives in the present case,” said lady hester, with an insolent laugh.
the daltons, volume i (of ii) charles james lever

i foresee that you, like an orville, or a mortimer, will suspect and asperse your mistress.
the heroine eaton stannard barrett

who would dare to asperse the character of this perfect, lovely, and intellectual schoolmistress?
beatrice h. rider haggard

pope believed that addison had employed gildon to write against him, and had encouraged phillips to asperse his character.
calamities and quarrels of authors isaac disraeli

verb (transitive)
to spread false rumours about; defame
(rare) to sprinkle, as with water in baptism
v.

late 15c., “to besprinkle,” from latin aspersus, past participle of aspergere (see aspersion). meaning “to bespatter someone’s character with rumor and false reports” is recorded from 1610s.