From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Rumor \Ru"mor\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Rumored}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Rumoring}.] To report by rumor; to tell.
'T was rumored My father 'scaped from out the citadel. --Dryden.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Rumor \Ru"mor\, noun [F. rumeur, L. rumor; cf. rumificare, rumitare to rumor, Skr. ru to cry.] [Written also {rumour}.]
1. A flying or popular report; the common talk; hence, public fame; notoriety.
This rumor of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region round about. --Luke vii. 17.
Great is the rumor of this dreadful knight. --Shak.
2. A current story passing from one person to another, without any known authority for its truth; -- in this sense often personified.
Rumor next, and Chance, And Tumult, and Confusion, all embroiled. --Milton.
3. A prolonged, indistinct noise. [Obs.] --Shak.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
noun
1: gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth [syn: {rumour}, {hearsay}]
verb
1: tell or spread rumors; "It was rumored that the next president would be a woman" [syn: {rumour}, {bruit}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
60 Moby Thesaurus words for "rumor": announce, blab, break the news, breathe, bring word, bruit, bruit about, buzz, canard, chat, circulate, common talk, cry, flying rumor, give a report, give tidings of, gossip, grapevine, hearsay, idea afloat, info, inform, information, intimate, latrine rumor, leak, low-down, make known, mumble, mutter, news, news stirring, noise abroad, on dit, on-dit, pass around, poop, put about, rehearse, relate, report, reveal, roorback, rumble, rumor, say, scoop, scuttlebutt, suggest, susurration, talk, tattle, tell, tidings, tittle-tattle, town talk, unconfirmed report, undertone, whisper, write up
From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:
RUMOR, noun A favorite weapon of the assassins of character.
Sharp, irresistible by mail or shield, By guard unparried as by flight unstayed, O serviceable Rumor, let me wield Against my enemy no other blade. His be the terror of a foe unseen, His the inutile hand upon the hilt, And mine the deadly tongue, long, slender, keen, Hinting a rumor of some ancient guilt. So shall I slay the wretch without a blow, Spare me to celebrate his overthrow, And nurse my valor for another foe. Joel Buxter
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