the.com/rumor
a lie wearing a runner's number, sprinting before truth ties its shoes
means A piece of unverified information that spreads from person to person, often distorting as it travels.
from From Latin 'rumor,' meaning a noise, murmur, or common talk — the low buzz of a crowd before anyone knows the facts. It traveled through Old French 'rumour' into English in the late 14th century, carrying that same sense of a sound moving through many mouths.
speedFalsehoods spread six times faster than truth online
latin rootComes from rumorem, meaning common talk or noise
war weaponArmies have planted rumors to break enemy morale
brain biasRepetition alone makes a rumor feel true
telephone effectEach retelling reliably mutates the original story