Word Direct Answers

What does "taint" mean?

Taint: An injury done to a lance in an encounter, without its being broken; also, a breaking of a lance in an encounter in a dishonorable or unscientific manner. [Obs.]

Additional senses

  1. 2.To thrust ineffectually with a lance. [Obs.]
  2. 3.To injure, as a lance, without breaking it; also, to break, as a lance, but usually in an unknightly or unscientific manner. [Obs.] Do not fear; I have A staff to taint, and bravely. Massinger.
  3. 4.To hit or touch lightly, in tilting. [Obs.] They tainted each other on the helms and passed by. Ld. Berners.
  4. 5.To imbue or impregnate with something extraneous, especially with something odious, noxious, or poisonous; hence, to corrupt; to infect; to poison; as, putrid substance taint the air.
  5. 6.Fig.: To stain; to sully; to tarnish. His unkindness may defeat my life, But never taint my love. Shak.
  6. 7.To be infected or corrupted; to be touched with something corrupting. I can not taint with fear. Shak.
  7. 8.To be affected with incipient putrefaction; as, meat soon taints in warm weather.
  8. 9.Tincture; hue; color; tinge. [Obs.]
  9. 10.Infection; corruption; deprivation. He had inherited from his parents a scrofulous taint, which it was beyond the power of medicine to remove. Macaulay.
  10. 11.A blemish on reputation; stain; spot; disgrace.

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