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taint

 - 3 dictionary results

taint

  [teynt] ,
Use taint in a Sentence
–noun
1. a trace of something bad, offensive, or harmful.
2. a trace of infection, contamination, or the like.
3. a trace of dishonor or discredit.
4. Obsolete. color; tint.
–verb (used with object)
5. to modify by or as if by a trace of something offensive or deleterious.
6. to infect, contaminate, corrupt, or spoil.
7. to sully or tarnish (a person's name, reputation, etc.).
8. Obsolete. to color or tint.
–verb (used without object)
9. to become tainted; spoil.
Origin:
1325–75; conflation of ME taynt, aph. var. of attaint struck, attainted, ptp. of attainten to attaint; late ME taynt hue, tint < AF teint (< L tinctus, equiv. to ting(ere) to dye, tinge + -tus suffix of v. action); and teinte < LL tincta inked stroke, n. use of fem. of ptp. of tingere

Synonyms:
1. defect, spot, flaw, fault. 1, 7. blemish, stain. 6. defile, pollute, poison.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To taint
taint   (tānt)   
v.   taint·ed, taint·ing, taints

v.   tr.

  1. To affect with or as if with a disease.

  2. To affect with decay or putrefaction; spoil. See Synonyms at contaminate.

  3. To corrupt morally.

  4. To affect with a tinge of something reprehensible.

v.   intr.
To become affected with decay or putrefaction; spoil.
n.  

  1. A moral defect considered as a stain or spot. See Synonyms at stain.

  2. An infecting touch, influence, or tinge.


[Partly from obsolete taynt, to color, dye (from Anglo-Norman teint, from past participle of teindre, from Latin tingere), and partly from Middle English tainten, to convict (short for atteinten, from Old French ataint, past participle of ataindre, to attain, touch upon; see attain).]
taint'less adj., taint'less·ly adv., taint'less·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: taint
Pronunciation: 'tAnt
Function: transitive verb
: to damage or destroy the validity of tainted by an illegal search> —taint noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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