Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Taint

Taint

,
Noun.
[Cf. F.
atteinte
a blow, bit, stroke. See
Attaint
.]
1.
A thrust with a lance, which fails of its intended effect.
[Obs.]
This
taint
he followed with his sword drawn from a silver sheath.
Chapman.
2.
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.]

Taint

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Tainted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Tainting
.]
To thrust ineffectually with a lance.
[Obs.]

Taint

,
Verb.
T.
1.
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.
2.
To hit or touch lightly, in tilting.
[Obs.]
They
tainted
each other on the helms and passed by.
Ld. Berners.

Taint

,
Verb.
T.
[F.
teint
, p. p. of
teindre
to dye, tinge, fr. L.
tingere
,
tinctum
. See
Tinge
, and cf.
Tint
.]
1.
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
.
2.
Fig.: To stain; to sully; to tarnish.
His unkindness may defeat my life,
But never
taint
my love.
Shakespeare
Syn. – To contaminate; defile; pollute; corrupt; infect; disease; vitiate; poison.

Taint

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To be infected or corrupted; to be touched with something corrupting.
I can not
taint
with fear.
Shakespeare
2.
To be affected with incipient putrefaction;
as, meat soon
taints
in warm weather
.

Taint

,
Noun.
1.
Tincture; hue; color; tinge.
[Obs.]
2.
Infection; corruption; deprivation.
He had inherited from his parents a scrofulous
taint
, which it was beyond the power of medicine to remove.
Macaulay.
3.
A blemish on reputation; stain; spot; disgrace.

Webster 1828 Edition

Taint

TAINT

,
Verb.
T.
[L. tingo; Gr. to dye, literally to dip, primarily to thrust, the sense of L. tango; and n not being radical, the real word is tego or tago, coinciding with Eng. duck; hence its sense in extinguo. See Dye, Attaint and Tinge.]
1.
To imbue or impregnate, as with some extraneous matter which alters the sensible qualities of the substance.
The spaniel struck
Stiff by the tainted gale--
2.
More generally, to impregnate with something odious, noxious or poisonous; as, putrid substances taint the air.
3.
To infect; to poison. The breath of consumptive lungs is said to taint sound lungs.
4.
To corrupt, as by incipient putrefaction; as tainted meat.
5.
To stain; to sully; to tarnish.
We come not by the way of accusation
To taint that honor every good tongue blesses.
6.
To corrupt, as blood; to attaint. [Not in use.] [See Attaint.]

TAINT

,
Verb.
I.
To be infected or corrupted; to be touched with something corrupting.
I cannot taint with fear.
1.
To be affected with incipient putrefaction.
Meat soon taints in warm weather.

TAINT

,
Noun.
Tincture; stain.
1.
Infection; corruption; depravation. Keep children from the taint of low and vicious company.
2.
A stain; a spot; a blemish on reputation.
3.
An insect; a kind of spider.

Similar Results