v.
Pronunciation: ə - ' sp ə rs, a-
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form: as · persed ; as · pers · ing
Etymology: Latin aspersus, past participle of aspergere, from ad- + spargere to scatter ― more at SPARK
Date: 15th century
1 : SPRINKLE especially : to sprinkle with holy water
2 : to attack with evil reports or false or injurious charges
synonyms see MALIGN