bad-mouthv.
/ˈbadmaʊθ/, /ˈbadmaʊð/, U.S. /ˈbædˌmaʊθ/ colloquial (originally U.S.).
transitive. To abuse or deprecate verbally; to criticize, slander, or gossip maliciously about (a person or thing); to disparage, ‘run down’.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > invective or abuse > abuse [verb (transitive)]
vilea1300
rebutc1330
revilea1393
arunt1399
stainc1450
brawl1474
vituper1484
rebalk1501
to call (rarely to speak) (all) to naught1542
rattle1542
vituperate1542
bedaub1570
beray1576
bespurt1579
wring1581
misuse1583
caperclaw1589
abuse1592
rail1592
exagitate1593
to shoot atc1595
belabour1596
to scour one's mouth on1598
bespurtle1604
conviciate1604
scandala1616
delitigate1623
betongue1639
bespatter1644
rant1647
palt1648
opprobriatea1657
pelt1658
proscind1659
inveigh1670
clapperclaw1692
blackguard1767
philippize1804
drub1811
foul-mouth1822
bullyrag1823
target1837
barge1841
to light on ——1842
slang1844
villainize1857
slangwhang1880
slam-bang1888
vituperize1894
bad-mouth1941
slag1958
zing1962
to dump on (occasionally all over)1967
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > slander or calumny > slander or calumniate [verb (transitive)]
to say or speak shame of, on, byc950
teleeOE
sayOE
to speak evil (Old English be) ofc1000
belie?c1225
betell?c1225
missayc1225
skandera1300
disclanderc1300
wrenchc1300
bewrayc1330
bite1330
gothele1340
slanderc1340
deprave1362
hinderc1375
backbite1382
blasphemec1386
afamec1390
fame1393
to blow up?a1400
defamea1400
noise1425
to say well (also evil, ill, etc.) of (also by)1445
malignc1450
to speak villainy of1470
infame1483
injury1484
painta1522
malicea1526
denigrate1526
disfamea1533
misreporta1535
sugill?1539
dishonest?c1550
calumniate1554
scandalize1566
ill1577
blaze1579
traduce1581
misspeak1582
blot1583
abuse1592
wronga1596
infamonize1598
vilify1598
injure?a1600
forspeak1601
libel1602
infamize1605
belibel1606
calumnize1606
besquirt1611
colly1615
scandala1616
bedirt1622
soil1641
disfigurea1643
sycophant1642
spatter1645
sugillate1647
bespattera1652
bedung1655
asperse1656
mischieve1656
opprobriatea1657
reflect1661
dehonestate1663
carbonify1792
defamate1810
mouth1810
foul-mouth1822
lynch1836
rot1890
calumny1895
ding1903
bad-talk1938
norate1938
bad-mouth1941
monster1967
1941 J. Thurber in Sat. Evening Post 5 Apr. 9/2 He bad-mouthed everybody.
1960 D. MacDonald Slam Big Door (1961) vi. 96 What..reason would he have to bad-mouth Jamison?
1968 N.Y. Times 2 June iv. 10/6 The Poor People's Campaign should stop bad-mouthing poverty.
1975 High Times Dec. 9/1 When the question of legalization of pot comes up, the cop always bad-mouths the legislature for even thinking of it.
1977 Times Lit. Suppl. 1 July 792/1 They threw matches, they badmouthed linesmen, they hit balls into the stands.
1994 Harper's Mag. Aug. 19/1 Finally! A way to catch and document employees who bad-mouth you behind your back.
2002 C. Newland Snakeskin vi. 62 Ravinder told me that black students, particularly males, would bad-mouth him and act aggressively when they saw him around the building.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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v.1941