Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To discolor, soil, or spot.
- intransitive verb To bring into disrepute; taint or tarnish.
- intransitive verb To change the color of (a piece of wood, for example) by applying a stain.
- intransitive verb To treat (a specimen for the microscope) with a reagent or dye in order to identify cell or tissue structures or microorganisms.
- intransitive verb To produce or receive discolorations.
- noun A discolored or soiled spot or smudge.
- noun A diminishment of one's moral character or good reputation by being associated with something disgraceful.
- noun A liquid substance applied especially to wood that penetrates the surface and imparts a rich color.
- noun A reagent or dye used for staining microscopic specimens.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Specifically, a solution of a dye used in microscopical work to render more readily visible various structures, and for purposes of differentiation.
- noun A spot; a discoloration, especially a discoloration produced by contact with foreign matter by external causes or influences: as, mildew-stains.
- noun A blot; a blemish; a cause of reproach or disgrace: as, a stain on one's character.
- noun In entomology, a well-defined spot of color which appears to be semi-transparent, so that it merely modifies the ground-color: it may be produced by very fine dots, as on a butterfly's wing.
- noun Taint; tarnish; evil or corrupting effect: as, the stain of sin.
- noun Slight trace; tinge; tincture.
- noun Coloring matter; a liquid used to color wood, ivory, etc., by absorption.
- To discolor, as by the application of some foreign matter; make foul; spot: as, to
stain the hand with dye, or with tobacco-juice; to stain the clothes. - To soil or sully with guilt or infamy; tarnish; bring reproach on; corrupt; deprave: as, to
stain the character; stained with guilt. - To deface; disfigure; impair, as shape, beauty, or excellence.
- To color by a process other than painting or coating or covering the surface.
- To print colors upon (especially upon paper-hangings).
- To darken; dim; obscure.
- Hence To eclipse; excel.
- To cause a stain or discoloration.
- To take stains; become stained, soiled, or sullied; grow dim; be obscured.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb To give or receive a stain; to grow dim.
- transitive verb To discolor by the application of foreign matter; to make foul; to spot.
- transitive verb To color, as wood, glass, paper, cloth, or the like, by processes affecting, chemically or otherwise, the material itself; to tinge with a color or colors combining with, or penetrating, the substance; to dye.
- transitive verb To spot with guilt or infamy; to bring reproach on; to blot; to soil; to tarnish.
- transitive verb To cause to seem inferior or soiled by comparison.
- transitive verb glass colored or stained by certain metallic pigments fused into its substance, -- often used for making ornamental windows.
- noun A discoloration by foreign matter; a spot.
- noun A natural spot of a color different from the gound.
- noun Taint of guilt; tarnish; disgrace; reproach.
- noun Cause of reproach; shame.
- noun rare A tincture; a tinge.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
discoloured spot orarea . - noun A
blemish on one'scharacter orreputation . - noun A substance used to
soak into a surface and colour it. - noun A
reagent ordye used to stainmicroscope specimens so as to make some structuresvisible . - verb To
discolour something - verb To
taint ortarnish someone's character or reputation - verb To
coat a surface with a stain - verb To treat a microscope specimen with a dye
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb color with a liquid dye or tint
- verb make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically
- noun a soiled or discolored appearance
- noun a symbol of disgrace or infamy
- noun the state of being covered with unclean things
- verb color for microscopic study
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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III. iv.26 (182,7) I'll raise the preparation of a war/Shall stain your brother] [T: strain] I do not see but _stain_ may be allowed to remain unaltered, meaning no more than _shame_ or _disgrace_.
Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies Samuel Johnson 1746
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She already has drawn 5 tattoos upon her body as well as this neck permanent skin stain is 6th one.
Rihanna Neck Tattoo admin 2009
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She already has drawn 5 tattoos upon her body as well as this neck permanent skin stain is 6th one.
Archive 2009-11-01 admin 2009
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The word stain often carries these ugly definitions: blemish, tarnish, and soil.
Babes with a Beatitude Linda P. Kozar 2009
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Mr. Obama in January issued an executive order to close Guantanamo, which he called a stain on the U. S.'s global reputation, within a year, in line with a pledge he made on the campaign trail.
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He pointed out what he called the stain of slavery inherent in the text, before praising "the ideal of equal citizenship under the law" that would later flourish.
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The depth of color of the stain is a function of the kiln temperature, the proportion of silver to ocher, and the number of times the process is repeated.
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Punctuation as emotion may be new, but reading pictures dates back to Neolithic times, and was used with powerful effect in stain glass for illiterate church goers.
Stinky 2009
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Tattoos have become a conform trend as well as so much so renouned now-a-days which everybody wishes to pull a permanent skin stain upon a skin.
Archive 2009-11-01 admin 2009
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Tattoos have become a conform trend as well as so much so renouned now-a-days which everybody wishes to pull a permanent skin stain upon a skin.
Rihanna Neck Tattoo admin 2009
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