Law .

defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures.

the act or crime of publishing it.

a formal written declaration or statement, as one containing the allegations of a plaintiff or the grounds of a charge.

anything that is defamatory or that maliciously or damagingly misrepresents.

to publish a libel against.

to misrepresent damagingly.

to institute suit against by a libel, as in an admiralty court.

noun

compliment , praise

verb

tell truth

noun

aspersion , calumny , defamation , denigration , lying , malicious , obloquy , smear , vituperationnotes:libel (from latin libellus \'little book\') must be published , while spoken defamatory remarks are slander ; libel first meant \'document , written statement\'slander is spoken defamation; libel is written or visual or broadcast defamation , calumniation , character assassination , detraction , scandal , slander , traducement , vilification , lampoon , roorback , satire

verb

asperse , bad-mouth * , blister , burlesque , calumniate , caricature , crack , defame , denigrate , derogate , drag name through mud , give a black eye , knock , malign , mark * , mark wrong , revile , roast , scandalize , scorch , sizzle , slur , smear , tear down , traduce , travesty , vilifynotes:libel (from latin libellus \'little book\') must be published , while spoken defamatory remarks are slander ; libel first meant \'document , written statement\'slander is spoken defamation; libel is written or visual or broadcast defamation , backbite , slander , vilify , abuse , calumny , defamation , defame (by some publication) , discredit , lampoon , scandal