besmirch(动词):玷污;抹黑;损害(名誉、声誉)。常指用不实指控、丑闻或负面言论使他人名声受损。(也可指“弄脏”物体表面,但更常用作比喻义。)
/bɪˈsmɝːtʃ/
He tried to besmirch her reputation with rumors.
他试图用谣言来抹黑她的名声。
The report was designed to besmirch the scientist’s credibility, even though the evidence was weak and selectively presented.
这份报告意在玷污那位科学家的可信度,尽管证据薄弱且经过选择性呈现。
besmirch 来自中古英语的构词方式:前缀 **be-**(表示“使……处于某种状态”)+ smirch(“弄脏、污渍”)。最初偏向“弄脏”,后来常用于比喻意义,表示“玷污名誉、抹黑形象”。