The Hebrew word for "backbiting" means covering, disguise, covert. So the backbiting tongue is one that wounds covertly; the tongue that pours forth wounding words disguised as concern or prayer requests or old anecdotes or even praise of another...
The backbiting tongue wounds four at one stroke: the backbiter himself (herself might be more appropriate here), the object of his attack, the hearer, and the name of God. If the backbiter be rather welcomed than repelled, is not the willing listener thus partaker of his sin? Flee this deadly pest. Keep thine ears as well as thy mouth from the poison. Let thine angry countenance drive away either the slander of him, or the slanderer from thee. Proverbs by Charles Bridges
Interestingly, the next verse in Proverbs is this one:
It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house. Proverbs 25:24
Perhaps the writer associated backbiting with a brawling woman... I know I do.
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