taint

Definitions

1. 1.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.]
2. 2.To thrust ineffectually with a lance. [Obs.]
3. 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.
4. 4.To hit or touch lightly, in tilting. [Obs.] They tainted each other on the helms and passed by. Ld. Berners.
5. 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.
6. 6.Fig.: To stain; to sully; to tarnish. His unkindness may defeat my life, But never taint my love. Shak.
7. 7.To be infected or corrupted; to be touched with something corrupting. I can not taint with fear. Shak.
8. 8.To be affected with incipient putrefaction; as, meat soon taints in warm weather.
9. 9.Tincture; hue; color; tinge. [Obs.]
10. 10.Infection; corruption; deprivation. He had inherited from his parents a scrofulous taint, which it was beyond the power of medicine to remove. Macaulay.
11. 11.A blemish on reputation; stain; spot; disgrace.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "taint" mean?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is taint.

• What is 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.] called?
• What is to thrust ineffectually with a lance. [Obs.] called?
• What is 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 called?
• What is to hit or touch lightly, in tilting. [Obs.] They tainted each other on the helms and passed by. Ld. Berners called?
• What is 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 called?
• What is fig.: To stain; to sully; to tarnish. His unkindness may defeat my life, But never taint my love. Shak called?
• What is to be infected or corrupted; to be touched with something corrupting. I can not taint with fear. Shak called?
• What is to be affected with incipient putrefaction; as, meat soon taints in warm weather called?
• What is infection; corruption; deprivation. He had inherited from his parents a scrofulous taint, which it was beyond the power of medicine to remove. Macaulay called?
• What is a blemish on reputation; stain; spot; disgrace called?