ob·lo·quy

(ŏb′lə-kwē)

n. pl. ob·lo·quies

1. Abusively detractive language or utterance; calumny: "I have had enough obloquy for one lifetime" (Anthony Eden).

2. The condition of disgrace suffered as a result of abuse or vilification; ill repute.

[Middle English obloqui, from Late Latin obloquium, abusive contradiction, from Latin obloquī, to interrupt : ob-, against; see ob- + loquī, to speak; see tolk^w- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

obloquy

(ˈɒbləkwɪ)

n, pl -quies

1. defamatory or censorious statements, esp when directed against one person

2. disgrace brought about by public abuse

[C15: from Latin obloquium contradiction, from ob- against + loquī to speak]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ob•lo•quy

(ˈɒb lə kwi)

n., pl. -quies.

1. censure, blame, or abusive language.

2. discredit, disgrace, or bad repute.

[1425–75; late Middle English < Late Latin obloquium contradiction]

ob•lo•qui•al (ɒˈbloʊ kwi əl) adj.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	obloquy - state of disgrace resulting from public abuse opprobrium disgrace, ignominy, shame - a state of dishonor; "one mistake brought shame to all his family"; "suffered the ignominy of being sent to prison"
	2.	obloquy - a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions calumniation, calumny, defamation, hatchet job, traducement depreciation - a communication that belittles somebody or something assassination, blackwash, character assassination - an attack intended to ruin someone's reputation malignment, smear, vilification - slanderous defamation libel - a false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person slander - words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another name calling, names - verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument; "sticks and stones may break my bones but names can never hurt me" epithet, name - a defamatory or abusive word or phrase

obloquy

noun

1. Harsh, often insulting language:

abuse, billingsgate, contumely, invective, railing, revilement, reviling, scurrility, scurrilousness, vituperation.

2. Loss of or damage to one's reputation:

bad name, bad odor, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, humiliation, ignominy, ill repute, odium, opprobrium, shame.

Translations

calunnia

xingamento

obloquy

[ˈɒbləkwɪ] N (frm) (= abuse) → injurias fpl, calumnia f; (= shame) → deshonra f
to cover sb with obloquy → llenar a algn de injurias

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

obloquy

n (liter)

(= blame, abuse) → Schmähung f (liter), → Beschimpfung f

(= disgrace) → Schande f, → Schmach f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

But as the priceless treasure too frequently hides at the bottom of a well, it needs some courage to dive for it, especially as he that does so will be likely to incur more scorn and obloquy for the mud and water into which he has ventured to plunge, than thanks for the jewel he procures; as, in like manner, she who undertakes the cleansing of a careless bachelor's apartment will be liable to more abuse for the dust she raises than commendation for the clearance she effects.

View in context

He therefore dismissed her with assurances that he would very soon remove her out of the reach of that obloquy she had incurred; concluding with some additional documents, in which he recommended repentance, saying, "Consider, child, there is one still to reconcile yourself to, whose favour is of much greater importance to you than mine."

View in context

He is one of those who will find eternal obloquy if The Hague Conference comes to a successful termination.

View in context

There are multitudes of slaves temporarily owned, and sold again, by merchants in northern cities; and shall the whole guilt or obloquy of slavery fall only on the South?

View in context

I said I supposed he would wish me to act as his second, and he said, "Of course." I said I must be allowed to act under a French name, so that I might be shielded from obloquy in my country, in case of fatal results.

View in context

He would see the parties married, and then violate the confidence of the man who had taught him that trick; he would divulge the secret and so remove somewhat of the obloquy that attached to his niece's fame.

View in context

Above all sacrifice, or hallowed gift, Glory he requires, and glory he receives, Promiscuous from all nations, Jew, or Greek, Or Barbarous, nor exception hath declared; From us, his foes pronounced, glory he exacts." To whom our Saviour fervently replied: "And reason; since his Word all things produced, Though chiefly not for glory as prime end, But to shew forth his goodness, and impart His good communicable to every soul Freely; of whom what could He less expect Than glory and benediction--that is, thanks-- The slightest, easiest, readiest recompense From them who could return him nothing else, And, not returning that, would likeliest render Contempt instead, dishonour, obloquy? Hard recompense, unsuitable return For so much good, so much beneficience!

View in context

To Hetty the "parish" was next to the prison in obloquy, and to ask anything of strangers--to beg--lay in the same far-off hideous region of intolerable shame that Hetty had all her life thought it impossible she could ever come near.

View in context

Who would not, when there was the pretext of casting disgrace upon him, confound his whole life and the truths he had espoused, in one heap of obloquy?

View in context

The energy which had sustained her thus far quailed before the dreadful prospect--doubly dreadful to a woman--of obloquy and contempt.

View in context

But the fact was so, for at the next bend in the lane Maggie actually saw the little semicircular black tent with the blue smoke rising before it, which was to be her refuge from all the blighting obloquy that had pursued her in civilized life.

View in context

Therefore I am not to be silenced by poverty and sickness, not by hatred and obloquy, by threats and ridicule--not by prison and persecution, if they should come--not by any power that is upon the earth or above the earth, that was, or is, or ever can be created.

View in context