SCANDAL  , disgrace, discredit, shame, caused by the

report or knowledge of wrongdoing, hence defamation or gossip, especially malicious or idle; or such action as causes public offence or disrepute . (For the law relating to scandal, more generally termed " defamation" see LIBEL AND SLANDER.) The Greek word oKavbaXov, stumbling-block, cause of offence or temptation, is used in the Septuagint and the New Testament . Classical Greek had the word oKavbaXilOpov only, properly the spring of a baited trap; the origin probably being the root seen in Latin scandere, to climb, get up . While the Latin scandalum has given such direct derivatives as Spanish and Portuguese escandalo, Dutch schandaal, Eng . " scandal," &c., it is also the source of the synonymous " slander," Middle Eng. sclaundre, O . Fr. esclandre, escandle . A particular form of defamation was scandalum magnatum . " slander of great men," words, that is, spoken defaming a peer spiritual or temporal, judge or dignitary of the realm . Action lay for such defamation under the statutes of 3 Edw . I. c . 34, 2 Rich . I I. c .

5, and 12 Rich . II. c . I1 whereby

damages could be recovered, even in cases where no action would lie, if the defamation were of an ordinary subject, and that without proof of special damage . These statutes, though long obsolete, were only abolished in 1887 (Statute Law Revision Act) .