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Libel vs Lying - What's the difference?

libel | lying |

As nouns the difference between libel and lying

is that libel is a written or pictorial statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation while lying is an act of telling a lie, or falsehood.

As verbs the difference between libel and lying

is that libel is to defame someone, especially in a manner that meets the legal definition of libel while lying is present participle of lang=en.

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

    * ----

    lying

    English

    (wikipedia lying)

    Verb

    (head)
  • * 1811 , , Sense and Sensibility The Free Library , Chapter 19:
  • Without shutting herself up from her family ... or lying awake the whole night to indulge meditation, Elinor found every day afforded her leisure enough to think of Edward..

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act of telling a lie, or falsehood.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
  • The act of one who lies, or keeps low to the ground.
  • * Saint Augustine, Expositions on the Book of Psalms
  • But whom could the lyings in wait of the human heart escape?