I heard a rumpur.....

I've been known to do both. Usually if I started a rumor it was for a specific purpose of getting something I wanted done to get done, they weren't vicious rumors or outright lies

Some years ago, we were talking to a friend who owned a holiday chalet on the same estate as us. I was fed up of hearing about their plans to extend their chalet, so I shut her up by saying we were going to build a second floor on ours, with a balcony all the way around so we could sit and look out over the beach. I said we'd consulted our solicitor, and he told us there was nothing in our lease to prevent us doing it. I also said we didn't need planning permission, as we were going upwards not outwards and we wouldn't be taking up any more space. Within two days, half the chalet owners on site had come to us to ask for the name of our solicitor! Of course, I then had to explain it was just a rumpur I'd started, but it was fun while it lasted.