• (British) IPA: /əˈspɜːs/
• (America) IPA: /əˈspɝs/

asperse (asperses, present participle aspersing; past and past participle aspersed)

1. To sprinkle or scatter (liquid or dust).
2. To falsely or maliciously charge another; to slander.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes, volume (please specify ), London: Printed by A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292 ↗:

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     This is indeed a most aggravating circumstance, which attends depriving men unjustly of their reputation; for a man who is conscious of having an ill character, cannot justly be angry with those who neglect and slight him; but ought rather to despise such as affect his conversation, unless where a perfect intimacy must have convinced them that their friend’s character hath been falsely and injuriously aspersed.

• See also Thesaurus:defame

• Italian: calunniare, diffamare