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rumour
British English , rumor American English noun [ uncountable and countable ] information or a story that is passed from one person to another and which may or may not be true:
• The band denied the rumours that they may be splitting up. • The truth finally came out after months of rumour. • I've heard rumours about a ghost in the building.
speculation
noun [ uncountable ] a situation in which a lot of people are talking about something that is happening, especially something that is happening in politics or public life, and trying to guess what the truth is:
• There was a great deal of speculation about a possible merger involving Belgium’s largest banks. • The report fuelled speculation (= caused more speculation ) that he was about to resign. • His future as a player has been the subject of intense speculation .
gossip
noun [ uncountable ] things that people say about what they think has happened in other people's private lives, which is usually not true:
• She tells me all the latest gossip from the office. • The magazine was full of gossip about celebrities. • You shouldn't believe every piece of gossip you hear.
talk
noun [ uncountable ] something that people talk about a lot but which is not official:
• The government has dismissed talk of a military strike on the country. • There's been a lot of talk of him resigning.
hearsay
noun [ uncountable ] something that you have heard from someone else, but cannot prove whether it is true or untrue – often used in legal contexts:
• All the accounts were based on hearsay rather than eye-witness reports. • hearsay evidence
Longman-Thesaurus
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rumour
verbs
a rumour spreads
• A rumour spread that he had been killed.
a rumour goes around
( also a rumour circulates formal ) (= a rumour is passed among people )
• There are a lot of rumors going around that they’re going to sell the company. • Not long afterwards, ugly rumours began to circulate.
rumour has it
(= it is being said )
• Rumour has it that they plan to get married.
rumours fly around
(= are talked about by a lot of people )
• There were wild rumours flying around the office on Wednesday.
hear a rumour
• I heard a rumour that she was leaving.
spread a rumour
• Someone has been spreading rumours about us.
deny a rumour
• He is denying rumors that he plans to drop out of the race.
confirm a rumour
(= say that it is true )
• The actor’s agent would not confirm the rumour.
adjectives
false/unfounded
• He says that the rumours are completely unfounded. • False rumors began to spread that troops were massing on the border.
rumours are rife
(= are talked about by a lot of people )
• Rumours were rife that the band had refused to play.
a widespread rumour
• The arrests followed widespread rumours of police corruption.
a persistent rumour
(= one that keeps being repeated for a long time )
• Despite persistent rumours of an affair, his wife stood by him.
a strong rumour
(= a rumour that is likely to be true )
• There is a strong rumour that the government is planning to drop the idea.
a wild rumour
(= one that is completely untrue )
• It has been a week of wild rumour and exaggeration.
a malicious rumour
(= a false one that someone spreads to make trouble )
• The claims were dismissed by the government as ‘malicious rumours’.
an ugly/nasty rumour
(= a rumour about something bad )
• Ugly rumours persisted that there had been a cover-up.
an unsubstantiated rumour
(= one that has not been proved to be true )
• These are only unsubstantiated rumours.
wild rumours
(= rumours that are not likely to be true )
• This led to wild rumours of American involvement in the attack.
COMMON ERRORS
>>> Do not say 'a rumour spreads out' . Say a rumour spreads .
transnet.ir
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noun ADJ. malicious, nasty, scurrilous, ugly, vicious | baseless, false, unconfirmed, unfounded, unsubstantiated, wild | strong, widespread | persistent VERB + RUMOUR start | fuel His lengthy absence from work fuelled rumours that he might have been sacked. | spread | hear | believe | deny | confirm The actor confirmed rumours that he will be leaving the series. | quash, scotch, silence The Chief Executive issued a statement to quash rumours of financial problems. RUMOUR + VERB circulate, get about/around, go around/round, spread | abound, be flying about/around, be rife Rumours about an impending royal divorce were rife. | sweep sth The rumour quickly swept the town. | persist RUMOUR + NOUN factory, mill The Washington rumour mill suggests the money changed hands illegally. PREP. amid/amidst ~s The manager resigned suddenly amidst rumours of misconduct. | ~ about/concerning/surrounding rumours surrounding the closure of the hospital | ~ of There were persistent rumours of drug taking among staff. PHRASES rumour has it that … Rumour has it that he was sacked from his last job. | there is no truth in the rumour There is no truth in the rumour that the head teacher is about to resign.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary