- rumour
- (BrE) (AmE rumor) nounADJECTIVE▪ malicious, nasty, scurrilous, ugly, vicious▪ baseless, false, unconfirmed, unfounded, unsubstantiated, wild▪ persistent, strong, widespread▪ trade▪ InternetVERB + RUMOUR/RUMOR▪ start▪ fuel▪
His lengthy absence will fuel rumours that he has been fired.
▪ spread▪ hear▪ believe▪ deny▪ confirm▪The actor confirmed rumours that he will be leaving the series.
▪ quash, scotch (esp. BrE), silence▪The Chief Executive issued a statement to quash rumours of financial problems.
RUMOUR/RUMOR + VERB▪ circulate, get around, go around, go round (esp. BrE), spread▪ abound, be flying, be flying about (esp. BrE), be flying around, be rife▪Rumours about an impending divorce were rife.
▪ sweep sth (esp. BrE), sweep through sth (esp. AmE)▪The rumour quickly swept the town.
▪ persistRUMOUR/RUMOR + NOUN▪ factory (BrE), mill▪The Washington rumour mill suggests the money changed hands illegally.
PREPOSITION▪ amid rumours▪The manager resigned suddenly amidst rumours of misconduct.
▪ rumour about, rumour concerning, rumour surrounding▪rumours surrounding the closure of the hospital
▪ rumour of▪There were persistent rumours of drug-taking among staff.
PHRASES▪ rumour has it that …▪Among the other employees, rumour has it that he was fired from his last job.
▪ there is no truth in the rumour▪There is no truth in the rumour that she is about to resign.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.