n.1 a a thing or a person causing general public outrage or indignation. b the outrage etc. so caused, esp. as a subject of common talk. c malicious gossip or backbiting.
2 Law a public affront, esp. an irrelevant abusive statement in court.
Phrases and idioms:
scandal sheet derog. a newspaper etc. giving prominence to esp. malicious gossip.
Derivatives:
scandalous adj. scandalously adv. scandalousness n.
Etymology: ME f. OF scandale f. eccl.L scandalum f. Gk skandalon snare, stumbling-block