0 present participle of besmirch
1 to say bad things about someone to influence other people's opinion of them:
His accusations were false, but they served to besmirch her reputation.
The former is characterised as a 'vice', the latter as a 'fouling' or 'besmirching', as 'dirt'.
I do not think that we help our case on either side by besmirching the motives of those who argue against us.
I fear that we are in danger of besmirching that record tonight.
He is besmirching what is becoming a great reputation.
Fifteen years on, we hear these allegations about the besmirching of reputations.
Divestment can also be seen as a means of besmirching a particular company.
