backbitten

backbitten

A woman was backbitten by her jealous colleagues.

Definition
  1. Verb (past participle of backbite):
    • To have slandered or spoken maliciously about someone who is not present: "backbitten" is the past participle form of the verb "backbite," meaning to criticize or speak ill of someone behind their back, often in a deceitful or treacherous manner.
Usage Examples
  • (She learned that a trusted coworker had spoken negatively about her when she was not present.)
  • (The politician was slandered through indirect, behind-the-scenes attacks.)
  • (He experienced repeated secretive criticism and became cautious in relationships.)
Advanced Usage

  • "to feel backbitten": to experience the emotional impact of being spoken ill of behind one's back.

    • After the scandal, the entire team felt backbitten by the anonymous letter. (The team suffered from secretive, damaging remarks.)

  • "backbitten by": followed by the agent or source of the slander.

    • He was backbitten by rivals who spread false accusations. (Rivals were the ones who slandered him secretly.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Backbite (verb): to slander someone behind their back.

    • It is cowardly to backbite a friend. (To speak ill of a friend secretly is a weak act.)

  • Backbiter (noun): a person who slanders others behind their backs.

    • She is known as a backbiter in the office. (She has a reputation for secretive gossip.)

  • Backbiting (noun/adjective): the act or practice of slandering someone behind their back.

    • Backbiting destroys trust in any relationship. (Secretive criticism harms connections.)
Synonyms
  • Slandered: harmed by false spoken statements.
  • Maligned: spoken about in a harmful, false way.
  • Traduced: made false and damaging statements about someone.
Related Idioms

  • "To stab someone in the back": to betray or harm someone who trusts you, often through secretive actions.

    • He was backbitten by a colleague who stabbed him in the back during the promotion process. (The colleague secretly harmed his reputation.)

  • "To speak behind someone's back": to criticize or gossip about someone without their knowledge.

    • She was backbitten by neighbors who spoke behind her back about her divorce. (Neighbors gossiped secretly about her personal life.)