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Libel vs Canard - What's the difference?

libel | canard |

As nouns the difference between libel and canard

is that libel is a written or pictorial statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation while canard is a false or misleading report or story, especially if deliberately so.

As a verb libel

is to defame someone, especially in a manner that meets the legal definition of libel.

libel

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A written or pictorial statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation.
  • (uncountable) The act or crime of displaying such a statement publicly.
  • Any defamatory writing; a lampoon; a satire.
  • (law) A written declaration or statement by the plaintiff of his cause of action, and of the relief he seeks.
  • A brief writing of any kind, especially a declaration, bill, certificate, request, supplication, etc.
  • (Chaucer)
  • * Wyclif Bible (Matthew v. 31)
  • a libel of forsaking [divorcement]

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

  • To defame someone, especially in a manner that meets the legal definition of libel.
  • He libelled her when he published that.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Some wicked wits have libelled all the fair.
  • (legal) To proceed against (a ship, goods, etc.) by filing a libel.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * blood libel * libelant * libel chill * libelee * libeler * libelist * libelous

    See also

    * defamation * defame * slander

    Anagrams

    * ----

    canard

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A false or misleading report or story, especially if deliberately so.
  • * 2005 , The New Yorker , 29 August, page 78.
  • It’s a cinch, now that Spurling has cleared away a century’s worth of misapprehensions and canards .
  • * '>citation
  • (aeronautics) A type of aircraft in which the primary horizontal control and stabilization surfaces are in front of the main wing.
  • (transport, engineering) Any small winglike structure on a vehicle, usually used for stabilization.
  • Synonyms

    * (false or misleading report or story) hoax