[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/backbite/)

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# backbite

verb

«backbite» in the English dictionary: in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In Jewish tradition

In the Psalms and Proverbs it means a secret, spiteful way of talking against others.

**Interpretation.** Tradition counts evil speech, called lashon hara, as a grave wrong. It teaches that a person should not speak ill of others even if it is true.

### Meaning

to speak badly of someone when they are not there [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/backbite/#m1)

### Examples

- With the profanest mockeries of backbiting they gnash at me with their teeth. (Writings PSA.35.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/backbite/#x1)
- The north wind bringeth forth rain, and a backbiting tongue an angry countenance. (Writings PRO.25.23, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/backbite/#x2)

### Note

A record of the Judaism dictionary, written from the corpus.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «backbite» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/backbite/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«backbite» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/backbite.html) on Mova free.