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Webster 1913 Edition


Backbiting

Back′bitˊing

,
Noun.
Secret slander; detraction.
Backbiting
, and bearing of false witness.
Piers Plowman.

Webster 1828 Edition


Backbiting

BACK'BITING

,
Noun.
The act of slandering the absent; secret calumny. 2Cor.xii.

Definition 2024


backbiting

backbiting

See also: back-biting

English

Noun

backbiting (plural backbitings)

  1. The action of slandering a person without that person's knowledge.
    • 1303, Robert Manning of Brune, Handlyng synne
      No custummable bakbytyng God....
    • 1862, Anthony Trollope, Orley Farm
      Not given to backbiting.
Translations

Etymology 2

From backbite.

Adjective

backbiting (comparative more backbiting, superlative most backbiting)

  1. Slandering or speaking badly of a person without that person's knowledge.
    • 1580, Thomas Tusser, A hundreth good pointes of husbandrie
      Backbiting talk that flattering blabs know wily how to blenge.
    • 1873, Rhoda Broughton, Nancy
      Am I to have a backbiting wife?

Verb

backbiting

  1. present participle of backbite