taint

¹taint

verb \ˈtānt\

Definition of TAINT

transitive verb

1

: to contaminate morally : corrupt <scholarship tainted by envy>

2

: to affect with putrefaction : spoil

3

: to touch or affect slightly with something bad <persons tainted with prejudice>

intransitive verb

1

obsolete : to become weak

2

: to become affected with putrefaction : spoil

Examples of TAINT

1. <criticism of her sister's singing that was tainted by envy>
2. <a tendency toward conceitedness taints that athlete's status as a role model>

Origin of TAINT

Middle English teynten to color & taynten to attaint; Middle English teynten, from Anglo-French teinter, from teint, past participle of teindre, from Latin tingere; Middle English taynten, short for attaynten — more at tinge, attain

First Known Use: 1573

Related to TAINT

Synonyms: blemish, darken, mar, poison, spoil, stain, tarnish, touch, vitiate

Antonyms: decontaminate, purify

Related Words: begrime, besmear, besmirch, blacken, blur, cloud, dirty, discolor, pollute, smear, smirch, smudge, smut, soil, sully, tar; abase, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, foul, lower, shame, sink; bastardize, corrupt, debauch, demoralize, deprave, pervert, subvert; color, distort, twist

Near Antonyms: cleanse, purify; dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, glorify, hallow, magnify, uplift

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at contaminate

Rhymes with TAINT

faint, feint, paint, plaint, quaint, saint