The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Asperse \As*perse"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aspersed; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Aspersing.] [L. aspersus, p. p. of aspergere to
   scatter, sprinkle; ad + spargere to strew. See Sparse.]
   1. To sprinkle, as water or dust, upon anybody or anything,
      or to besprinkle any one with a liquid or with dust.
      --Heywood.
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   2. To bespatter with foul reports or false and injurious
      charges; to tarnish in point of reputation or good name;
      to slander or calumniate; as, to asperse a poet or his
      writings; to asperse a man's character.
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            With blackest crimes aspersed.        --Cowper.
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   Syn: To slander; defame; detract from; calumniate; vilify.

   Usage: To Asperse, Defame, Slander, Calumniate. These
          words have in common the idea of falsely assailing the
          character of another. To asperse is figuratively to
          cast upon a character hitherto unsullied the
          imputation of blemishes or faults which render it
          offensive or loathsome. To defame is to detract from a
          man's honor and reputation by charges calculated to
          load him with infamy. Slander (etymologically the same
          as scandal) and calumniate, from the Latin, have in
          common the sense of circulating reports to a man's
          injury from unworthy or malicious motives. Men asperse
          their neighbors by malignant insinuations; they defame
          by advancing charges to blacken or sully their fair
          fame; they slander or calumniate by spreading
          injurious reports which are false, or by magnifying
          slight faults into serious errors or crimes.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Aspersed \As*persed"\, a.
   1. (Her.) Having an indefinite number of small charges
      scattered or strewed over the surface. --Cussans.
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   2. Bespattered; slandered; calumniated. --Motley.
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