E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Slander, Offence.
Slander is a stumbling-block or something which trips a person up (Greek, skan’dalon, through the French esclandre). Offence is the striking of our foot against a stone (Latin, ob fendo, as scopulum offendit navis, the ship struck against a rock).
