SCANDAL
scandal, dirt, malicious gossip
(noun) disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people
scandal, outrage
(noun) a disgraceful event
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
scandal (countable and uncountable, plural scandals)
An incident or event that disgraces or damages the reputation of the persons or organization involved.
Damage to one's reputation.
Widespread moral outrage, indignation, as over an offence to decency.
(theology) Religious discredit; an act or behaviour which brings a religion into discredit.
(theology) Something which hinders acceptance of religious ideas or behaviour; a stumbling-block or offense.
Defamatory talk; gossip, slander.
Verb
scandal (third-person singular simple present scandals, present participle scandaling or scandalling, simple past and past participle scandaled or scandalled)
(obsolete) To treat opprobriously; to defame; to slander.
(obsolete) To scandalize; to offend.
Source: Wiktionary
Scan"dal, n. Etym: [F. scandale, fr. L. scandalum, Gr. 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.
O, what a scandal is it to our crown, That two such noble peers as ye
should jar! Shak.
[I] have brought scandal To Israel, diffidence of God, and doubt In
feeble hearts. Milton.
2. Reproachful aspersion; opprobrious censure; defamatory talk,
uttered heedlessly or maliciously.
You must not put another scandal on him. Shak.
My known virtue is from scandal free. Dryden.
3. (Equity)
Definition: 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.
Syn.
– Defamation; detraction; slander; calumny; opprobrium; reproach;
shame; disgrace.
Scan"dal, v. t.
1. To treat opprobriously; to defame; to asperse; to traduce; to
slander. [R.]
I do faws on men and hug them hard And after scandal them. Shak.
2. To scandalize; to offend. [Obs.] Bp. Story.
Syn.
– To defame; traduce; reproach; slander; calumniate; asperse;
vilify; disgarce.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition