aspersive (aspersiv)

[ aspersively (as-pėr's iv-li), adv. In an aspersive manner; by way of aspersion. aspersoir (as-per-swor'), n. [F., aspersorium (as-pèr-sō'ri-um), n.; pl. aspersoria (-a). [ML., The mourners returning from a Roman funeral, aspersed with water and stepping over fire, were by this double pro- ce made pure. E. B. Tylor , Prim. Culture, II. 398. 2. To bespatter with foul reports or false and injurious charges; tarnish in point of reputa- tion or good name; slander; calumniate. Couper , Iliad, vi. IMG:content-1247.png:[blocks in formation] Syn. 2. Asperse , Defame, Calumniate, Slander, Malign , Traduce , Libel , Vilify , decry, depreciate, disparage, slur, run down, lampoon, blacken. These words are all descrip. tive of attempts to injure reputation by false statements. They all apply primarily and chiefly to persons. There is often little or no difference between them. Asperse is, literally, to bespatter, as with mud or dirt; it sometimes implies injury reputation by indirect insinuation. De fame is, literally, to lower the fame or repute of, to bring toward infamy, to make charges that are more open and weighty than aspersions. Calumniate, slander, and ma lign represent the most deliberate and deadly a aults upon reputation. The calumniator is most often the inventor of the falsehoods he circulates. The slanderer is le inventive and more secret, his work being generally behind the back of the injured person. The maligner is most mischievous, malicious, or malign in his motives. To traduce is to misrepresent, to show in an odious light. aspersory (as-pèr'sō-ri), a. [ 3. A thick solution of the finest asphaltum in spirits of turpentine, used by opticians. It is used for making cells on pieces of gla , in which objects may be preserved in liquid, for examination with the microscope. - Asphalt-furnace, a portable furnace in which asphalt cement is heated for use in roofing, paving, etc. - Asphalt stone, asphalt rock. See asphaltum. - Asphalt tiling, a mosaic of china or gla bedded in asphalt, and made in the form of flooring-tiles. - Asphalt varnish, a black var asphalt asprino nish composed of 3 parts of asphalt, 4 of boiled linseed oil, and from 15 to 18 of oil of turpentine. - Mexican asphalt. Same as chapapote. asphalt (as-falt'), v. t. [