SCANDAL


Meaning of SCANDAL in English

I. ˈskand ə l, -aan- noun

( -s )

Etymology: Late Latin scandalum stumbling block, offense, from Greek skandalon — more at scan

1.

a.

(1) : discredit brought upon religion by unseemly conduct in a religious person

(2) : offense, doubt, or bewilderment occasioned to a person's religious feelings by another's lapse in ethics or religion

abstained from decorating their private chapels … lest scandal should be given to weaker brethren — T.B.Macaulay

(3) : conduct the causes or encourages a lapse of faith or of religious obedience in another

his bad example is a constant scandal to all who knew him in the days of his fidelity — D.J.Corrigan

b. : something that prevents the reception of religious or other faith or serves as justification for a lapse from faith or morals : offense

one scandal of Christendom, the great schism, had indeed been overcome — S.E.Morison & H.S.Commager

the scandal of the apparent contradiction of reason with itself — Edward Caird

2.

a. : loss of or damage to reputation caused by actual or apparent violation of morality or propriety

a soldier should not bring scandal upon the uniform

b. archaic : a disgraceful usually baseless accusation or imputation

an improbable scandal flung upon the nation by a few bigoted … scribblers — Jonathan Swift

3.

a. : a circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions or disgraces those associated with or involved in it

the man's life is an open scandal — Willa Cather

an early history of scandal and mismanagement — American Guide Series: New York City

b. : a person whose conduct offends propriety or morality

under no temptation to nominate men who will be either drones or scandals — Spectator

4. : gossip or utterance of gossip that emphasizes true or false details damaging to another's reputation

the political harridans … would attack every possible leader with scandal and abuse and falsehood — H.G.Wells

5. : anger, indignation, chagrin, bewilderment, or incredulity brought about by a flagrant violation of morality, propriety, or religious opinion

to the scandal and grief of her sisters, made up her mind not to go to church any more — Margaret Deland

his marriage would give the gravest scandal to millions — Manchester Guardian Weekly

6. : something alleged in an equity pleading that is impertinent and is reproachful to a person or derogates from the dignity of the court or is contrary to good manners : an immaterial allegation that is slanderous

Synonyms: see detraction

II. transitive verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

1. obsolete : to bring reproach or scandal upon : disgrace

2. chiefly dialect : to spread scandal concerning : defame , slander

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.