backbite
/'bækbait/
Definition
- Verb:
- To speak maliciously or slanderously about someone who is not present; to say mean, critical, or damaging things about an absent person.
Usage
- The verb "backbite" is used to describe the act of making negative, often untrue, remarks about someone when they are not there to defend themselves. It implies a lack of courage and a breach of trust.
- It is typically used in contexts involving gossip, personal conflict, or unethical social behavior.
- Grammatical Note: It is an irregular verb: backbite (present) – backbit (past simple) – backbitten (past participle).
Examples
- Verb:
- It is unkind to backbite your colleagues instead of addressing concerns directly.
- She was hurt to discover that her so-called friends had been backbiting her for months.
- He had backbit his neighbor, only to feel ashamed later.
Advanced Usage
- "To be backbitten": To be the target of such malicious talk.
- Despite her kindness, she was often backbitten by jealous rivals.
Variants and Related Words
- Backbiter (noun): A person who habitually speaks ill of others behind their back.
- He gained a reputation as a notorious backbiter in the office.
- Backbiting (noun/gerund): The act or instance of speaking maliciously about an absent person.
- The office was filled with gossip and backbiting.
Synonyms
- Malign: To speak about someone in a spitefully critical manner.
- Defame: To damage the good reputation of someone.
- Slander: To make false and damaging statements about someone.
- Badmouth (informal): To criticize someone disparagingly.
Antonyms
- Praise: To express warm approval or admiration.
- Compliment: To politely express praise or admiration.
- Defend: To speak or write in support of someone.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Speak ill of the dead: To criticize someone who has died (a specific, proverbial form of backbiting considered especially wrong).
- It's considered poor form to speak ill of the dead.
- Stab someone in the back: To betray someone (this idiom shares the metaphorical sense of a covert, damaging attack, often through words).
- He pretended to be my friend but stabbed me in the back with his rumors.
Verb
-
say mean things
