Dictionary

obloquy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈɒbləˌkwi/
• /ˈɔːbləˌkwi/

Etymology

From Middle English obloqui, obloquie, obloquy, from Middle French obloquie and its etymon Late Latin obloquium (“contradiction”), from Latin obloquor (“speak against, contradict”). By surface analysis, ob- + -loquy.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Abusive language.
   • It is surprising, therefore, that this philosophy, which, in almost every instance, must be harmless and innocent, should be the subject of so much groundless reproach and obloquy. 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral., London: Oxford University Press, published 1973, § 34:
   • Much of this work of public repudiation is done through unglamorous politics: activism of civic groups and church organizations that educates citizens and the enactment of local policies, state laws, and other texts through which the people turn a legal ruling into an object of obloquy. 2021 May 15, Robert L. Tsai, “Supreme Court Precedent and the Politics of Repudiation”, in Austin Sarat, editor, Law's Infamy: Understanding the Canon of Bad Law, →DOI, →ISBN:
   • “Can't you understand that love without confidence is a worthless thing—and that had you trusted me I would have borne any obloquy with you.[…]” 1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 21, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC:
   • Slowly her thoughts reverted to herself; the blood rushed to her brow. What would she be to-morrow? the mark for obloquy and ridicule! disgraced, and for what? to minister to the wretched vanity of one whom she loathed even more than she scorned. 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 225–226:
   • The Territory suffered in consequence, and once more a storm of obloquy was cast upon her. 1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 237:
2. (countable, uncountable) Disgrace.
   • Her death I could have born, but the death of her honour has added obloquy and shame to that sorrow which bends my grey hairs to the dust! 1771, Henry Mackenzie, The Man of Feeling, London: Cassell, published 1886, page 108:
   • His name undoubtedly stands very high in the present age, and will in all probability go down to posterity with more or less of renown or obloquy. 1825, William Hazlitt, “Mr. Malthus”, in The Spirit of the Age […] , London: Printed for Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC:
   • It was comparatively easy for him to accept himself as the son of a terribly light Frenchwoman; there seemed a deeper obloquy even than that in his having for his other parent a nobleman altogether wanting in nobleness. 1886, Henry James, The Princess Casamassima, London: Macmillan and Co.:
3. (archaic, countable, uncountable) A false accusation; malevolent rumors.
   • It is as cruel as the grave to any man, when he knows his own rectitude of conduct, to have his hard services not only debased and underrated. But the Revolutionary soldiers are not the only people that endure obloquy. 1830, Joseph Plumb Martin, “Chapter IX. Campaign of 1783”, in A Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier, Interspersed with Anecdotes of Incidents that Occurred Within His Own Observation:
   • "But, sir," said Mr. Brande—who, being a traveller himself, considered that their injuries were personal ones—"look at the long years of obloquy and wrong, of taunts and doubts, which embittered Bruce's return home." 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VIII, in Romance and Reality. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 172:

Forms

Relateds

obloquious · oblocutor

Synonyms

defamation · traducement · opprobrium · calumny · character assassination · defamation · obloquy · aspersion · insult · calumny · slander · vilification · defamation · abuse · disparagement · libel · libel · detraction · calumniousness

Translations (24)

ru поноше́ние (abusive language) · bg ругатни (abusive language) · bg позор (resultant disgrace) · ru позо́р (resultant disgrace) · pt xingamento (abusive language) · bg хули (abusive language) · de Schmach (abusive language) · ru злосло́вие (abusive language) · es vulgaridad (abusive language) · ja 悪口 (abusive language) · ko 악평 (abusive language) · ru бесче́стье (resultant disgrace) · fr opprobre (abusive language) · es insulto (abusive language) · hu gyalázat (abusive language) · ko 욕설 (abusive language) · el δυσφήμηση (abusive language) · nl smaad (abusive language) · cmn 漫罵 /漫骂 (abusive language) · de Schmähung (abusive language) · nl laster (abusive language) · es abuso (abusive language) · hu rágalmazás (abusive language) · el επιτίμηση (abusive language)