_slander_ a person is to utter a false and injurious report
concerning him; to _defame_ is specifically and directly to attack one's
reputation; to _defame_ by spoken words is to _slander_, by written
words, to _libel_. To _asperse_ is, as it were, to bespatter with
injurious charges; to _malign_ is to circulate studied and malicious
attacks upon character; to _traduce_ is to exhibit one's real or assumed
traits in an odious light; to _revile_ or _vilify_ is to attack with
vile abuse. To _disparage_ is to represent one's admitted good traits or
acts as less praiseworthy than they would naturally be thought to be, as
for instance, by ascribing a man's benevolence to a desire for
popularity or display. To _libel_ or _slander_ is to make an assault
upon character and repute that comes within the scope of law; the
_slander_ is uttered, the _libel_ written, printed, or pictured. To
_backbite_ is to speak something secretly to one's injury; to
_calumniate_ is to invent as well as utter the injurious charge. One may
"abuse," "assail," or _vilify_ another to his face; he _asperses_,
_calumniates_, _slanders_, or _traduces_ him behind his back.

Antonyms:

defend, eulogize, extol, laud, praise, vindicate.

* * * * *

SLANG.

Synonyms:

cant, colloquialism, vulgarism, vulgarity.

A _colloquialism_ is an expression not coarse or low, and perhaps not
incorrect, but below the literary grade; educated persons are apt to
allow themselves some _colloquialisms_ in familiar conversation, which
they would avoid in writing or public speaking. _Slang_, in the primary
sense, denotes expressions that are either coarse and rude in themselves
or chiefly current among the coarser and ruder part of the community;
there are also many expressions current in special senses in certain
communities that may be characterized as _slang_; as, college _slang_;
club _slang_; racing _slang_. In the evolution of language many words
originally _slang_ are adopted by good writers and speakers, and
ultimately take their place as accepted English. A _vulgarism_ is an
expression decidedly incorrect, and the use of which is a mark of
ignorance or low breeding. _Cant_, as used in this connection, denotes
the barbarous jargon used as a secret language by thieves, tramps, etc.
Compare DICTION; LANGUAGE.

* * * * *

SLOW.

Synonyms:

dawdling, dilatory, gradual, lingerin