( BrE ) ( AmE rumor ) noun
ADJECTIVE
▪ malicious , nasty , scurrilous , ugly , vicious
▪ baseless , false , unconfirmed , unfounded , unsubstantiated , wild
▪ persistent , strong , widespread
▪ trade
▪ Internet
VERB + RUMOUR/RUMOR
▪ start
▪ fuel
▪
His lengthy absence will fuel ~s that he has been fired.
▪ spread
▪ hear
▪ believe
▪ deny
▪ confirm
▪
The actor confirmed ~s that he will be leaving the series.
▪ quash , scotch ( esp. BrE ), silence
▪
The Chief Executive issued a statement to quash ~s of financial problems.
RUMOUR/RUMOR + VERB
▪ circulate , get around , go around , go round ( esp. BrE ), spread
▪ abound , be flying , be flying about ( esp. BrE ), be flying around , be rife
▪
Rumours about an impending divorce were rife.
▪ sweep sth ( esp. BrE ), sweep through sth ( esp. AmE )
▪
The ~ quickly swept the town.
▪ persist
RUMOUR/RUMOR + NOUN
▪ factory ( BrE ), mill
▪
The Washington ~ mill suggests the money changed hands illegally.
PREPOSITION
▪ amid ~s
▪
The manager resigned suddenly amidst ~s of misconduct.
▪ ~ about , ~ concerning , ~ surrounding
▪
~s surrounding the closure of the hospital
▪ ~ of
▪
There were persistent ~s of drug-taking among staff.
PHRASES
▪ ~ has it that …
▪
Among the other employees, ~ has it that he was fired from his last job.
▪ there is no truth in the ~
▪
There is no truth in the ~ that she is about to resign.