INDEX:
1. the opinion that people have about a person, organization etc
2. having a good reputation
3. to damage the reputation of someone or something
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ OPINION
↑ POSITION/RANK
◆◆◆
1. the opinion that people have about a person, organization etc
▷ reputation /ˌrepjɑˈteɪʃ ə n/ [countable noun usually singular]
the general opinion that people have about a person, organization etc based on what they have heard, read, seen, or experienced :
reputation as
▪ Despite her reputation as a trouble-maker, she was promoted to department manager.
reputation for
▪ a brilliant director with a reputation for thoroughness
excellent/good/bad etc reputation
▪ I am surprised that a company with your good reputation would produce such poor quality goods.
▪ She found his terrible reputation one of his greatest attractions.
have a good/bad etc reputation
▪ The school had an excellent academic reputation.
▪ The area has a really bad reputation but it isn’t as bad as people think.
win/earn/gain a reputation as something
▪ The town’s Dolphin Centre had gained a reputation as one of the best leisure complexes in the country.
have a reputation of/for being
▪ The mill has the reputation of being one of the most energy-efficient in the world.
live up to your reputation
be as good, bad etc as people say
▪ The restaurant certainly lived up to its reputation; the food was delicious.
▷ image /ˈɪmɪdʒ/ [singular noun]
the idea that people have about a well-known person, company, or product - use this especially about an idea that is deliberately created through newspaper stories, advertising etc :
image as
▪ Perth is proud of its image as a breeding ground for ‘don’t-take-no-for-an-answer’ entrepreneurs.
be bad/good for somebody’s image
▪ The President’s advisers said it would be bad for his image to be photographed with union leaders.
improve your image
▪ The party is seeking to improve its image with female voters.
project an image
make an image
▪ The princess tried to project an image of herself as serious and hardworking.
▷ name /neɪm/ [singular noun]
the reputation a person or an organization has because of something they do or because of the quality of what they produce, usually when this is good :
good/bad name
▪ He’s a determined man and he values his good name.
have a name for doing something
▪ This man has a name for making tough business deals.
get a good/bad name
▪ Teenagers tend to get a bad name for being moody.
make a name for yourself
become known and admired by many people
▪ Marks and Spencer have made a name for themselves as a producer of high quality goods at reasonable prices.
▷ standing /ˈstændɪŋ/ [uncountable noun]
someone’s reputation and position in a group or society, based on other peoples’ opinion of them :
social/moral/professional etc standing
▪ The class system in Great Britain encourages people to be very aware of their social standing.
▪ This legal case is very likely to damage the company’s professional standing.
national/international etc standing
▪ Jacques Tati was a man of international standing in the world of screen comedy.
▷ prestige /preˈstiːʒ/ [uncountable noun]
the respect and good reputation a person, organization, profession etc has because they have a high position in society, are admired by people etc :
▪ The teaching profession has lost the prestige it had in former times.
▪ Hosting the Olympic Games would add to our country’s international prestige.
▪ Becoming a film star confers status, power, prestige and wealth.
▷ stature /ˈstætʃəʳ/ [uncountable noun]
a reputation for being very good at something, very important, or very influential that makes people respect you :
▪ At that time there were no other universities in England equal in stature to Oxford and Cambridge.
stature as
▪ As he got older, Picasso’s stature as an artist increased.
of world/international etc stature
▪ a British architect of international stature
▷ character /ˈkærɪktəʳ, ˈkærəktəʳ/ [uncountable noun] formal
someone’s reputation, especially whether or not other people think they are honest or morally good :
▪ A person’s character is very important to me when I decide who I want to work with.
be of (good/bad) etc character
▪ Her husband was a man of good character, well-liked and respected by his colleagues.
2. having a good reputation
▷ reputable /ˈrepjɑtəb ə l/ [adjective]
a reputable company or business person has a good reputation and can be trusted :
▪ If you are going to be out late, book a taxi from a reputable firm.
▪ We chose that company because we thought they were reputable.
▪ Most reputable suppliers advertise in Birds magazine.
a reputable source
▪ Only buy floppy disks that have come from a reputable source.
▷ prestigious /preˈstɪdʒəsǁ-ˈstiː-, -ˈstɪ-/ [adjective only before noun]
a prestigious organization, event, or product has a reputation of being one of the best of its kind and is highly respected :
▪ I am a partner in one of Cleveland’s oldest and most prestigious law firms.
▪ The anxiously awaited invitations to the prestigious end-of-year dance began to arrive.
▪ Women are attaining powerful and prestigious managerial positions.
▷ be well thought of /biː ˌwel ˈθɔːt ɒv/ [verb phrase]
if a person or their work is well thought of, they have a good reputation for the quality of their work :
▪ Richards is well thought of within his own firm.
▪ Millet’s work is less well thought of today than it was during his lifetime.
▷ prestige /preˈstiːʒ/ [adjective only before noun]
prestige goods, products, services etc cost a lot and have a very good reputation :
▪ There are always prestige neighbourhoods where only the wealthy or successful can afford to live.
▪ champagne, caviar, truffles and other prestige goods
3. to damage the reputation of someone or something
▷ harm/damage somebody’s reputation /ˌhɑːʳm, ˌdæmɪdʒ somebodyˈs repjɑˈteɪʃ ə n/ [verb phrase]
▪ If a representative gets drunk at a convention, it may harm their firm’s reputation.
▪ Sabine was completely loyal to you. She would never do anything to damage your reputation.
▷ give somebody/something a bad name /gɪv somebody/something ə ˌbæd ˈneɪm/ [verb phrase]
to give a group or place a bad reputation by behaving in an unacceptable way :
▪ Students who are rude and scruffy give the school a bad name.
▪ The regular brawling and violence in the bar had given it a bad name.
▪ He was the type of person that gives insurance salesmen a bad name.
▷ bring somebody/something into disrepute /ˌbrɪŋ somebody/something ɪntə ˌdɪsrɪˈpjuːt/ [verb phrase] formal
to damage the reputation of the organization that you work for or the job that you do by doing something bad or illegal - use this especially in legal or official contexts :
▪ This is exactly the kind of incident that brings international companies into disrepute.
▪ The officers were charged with bringing the police force into disrepute.
▷ discredit/bring discredit on /dɪsˈkredɪt, dɪsˈkredət, ˌbrɪŋ dɪsˈkredə̇t ɒn/ [transitive verb/verb phrase]
to make people stop trusting or believing in someone or something :
▪ There was a plot by certain members of the opposition to discredit the government.
▪ The old leaders were discredited by the massive defeats at Verdun and Flanders.
▪ Through your selfishness, you have brought discredit on yourself and your whole family.
▷ character assassination /ˈkærɪktər əsæsəˌneɪʃ ə n, ˈkærəktər əsæsəˌneɪʃ ə n/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a cruel and unfair attack on someone’s character :
▪ All too often politicians discredit themselves by engaging in character assassination.
▷ slur/stain on something /ˈslɜːʳ, ˈsteɪn ɒn something/ [countable noun]
something that harms someone’s character, reputation etc in someone’s opinion :
a slur/stain on somebody’s character/reputation etc
▪ Baker accused the press of casting a slur on his reputation.
▪ He was discharged from the army without a stain on his character.
▷ smear campaign/whispering campaign /ˈsmɪəʳ kæmˌpeɪn, ˈwɪsp ə rɪŋ kæmˌpeɪn/ [countable noun]
an attempt to damage the reputation of a political opponent by secretly spreading false ideas about them, for example by telling a newspaper that they have done bad or dishonest things :
▪ Kingsley denies all the rumours, saying he’s the victim of a vicious smear campaign.
smear campaign/whispering campaign against
▪ Allegations of instability, untrustworthiness and lack of political judgement - all these were part of the whispering campaign against her.