Slander, defame (6)
I believe the answer is:
malign
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">I believe this is a double definition.<br/ ><br/ >'<span class="explanation-format__original">slander</span>' is the first definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(maligning is a kind of slandering)</span><br/ ><br/ >'<span class="explanation-format__original">defame</span>' is the second definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(maligning is a kind of defaming)</span><br/ ><br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for malign that I've seen before include "Wicked, evil" , "Evil, baleful" , "Evil-natured" , "Bad-mouth" , "Say unpleasant and untrue things about" .)