Both Uses of
libel
in
Crime and Punishment, by Dostoyevsky
- You've heard it wrong; it's a libel.†
Chpt 5.1 *
- "That's a lie," there was a flash of fury in Dounia's eyes, "that's a lie and a libel!"†
Chpt 6.5
Definition:
a published falsehood that damages a someone's reputation; or the act of publishing such a falsehood
The legal distinction between libel and slander is that libel is an oral offense while slander is written or published.