talebearing


Also found in: Thesaurus.

tale·bear·er

 (tāl′bâr′ər)
n.
One who spreads malicious stories or gossip.

tale′bear′ing adj. & n.
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.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.talebearing - prone to communicate confidential informationtalebearing - prone to communicate confidential information
communicatory, communicative - able or tending to communicate; "was a communicative person and quickly told all she knew"- W.M.Thackeray
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

talebearing

noun
Idle, often sensational and groundless talk about others:
Slang: scuttlebutt.
adjective
Inclined to gossip:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
Very little open quarrelling ever took place amongst them; but backbiting and talebearing were universal.
Though Rebecca had had the better of him, George was above the meanness of talebearing or revenge upon a lady--only he could not help cleverly confiding to Captain Crawley, next day, some notions of his regarding Miss Rebecca--that she was a sharp one, a dangerous one, a desperate flirt, &c.; in all of which opinions Crawley agreed laughingly, and with every one of which Miss Rebecca was made acquainted before twenty-four hours were over.
Durante su permanencia en el cargo contribuyo bastante a indisciplinar el Ejercito: "fomenting espionage and talebearing and receiving manifestations and services especially among the subalterns".
"'Secret History': Or, Talebearing Inside and Outside the Secretorie." The Huntington Library Quarterly 68.1-2 (2005): 375-96.
The biblical prohibitions against talebearing (Leviticus 19:16) and evil gossip (Psalms 34:14) are discussed at length in the Talmud Yoma 4b and Sanhedrin 31a, and in the codes of Jewish law such as Maimonides' Mishneh Torah (Deot 7:2).