1. Offense caused or experienced; reproach or
reprobation called
forth by what is regarded as incorrect, criminal, heinous, or flagrant: opprobrium or disgrace. "O, what a
scandal is it to our crown, That
two such
noble peers as ye must jar!" (Shak) "[I] have brought
scandal To Israel, diffidence of God, and doubt In
feeble hearts." (Milton)
2. Reproachful aspersion; opprobrious censure; defamatory conversation, uttered heedlessly or maliciously. "You should not put other
scandal on him." (Shak) "My known
virtue is from
scandal free." (Dryden)
3. Anything alleged in pleading which is impertinent, and is
reproachful to any face, or which derogates from the dignity of the court, or is contrary to
good manners.
Synonym: Defamation, detraction, slander, calumny, opprobrium, reproach, shame, disgrace.
Origin: F. Scandale, fr. L. Scandalum, Gr, a
snare laid for an enemy, a stumbling block, offense, scandal: cf. OE. Scandle, OF. Escandle. See Slander.
Source: Websters Vocabulary