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Webster 1913 Edition

Contaminate

Con-tam′i-nate

(kŏn-tăm′ĭ-nāt)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Contaminated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Contaminating
.]
[L.
contaminatus
, p. p. of
contaminare
to bring into contact, to contaminate, fr.
contamen
contagion, for
contagmen
;
con-
+ root of
tangere
to touch. See
Contact
.]
To soil, stain, or corrupt by contact; to tarnish; to sully; to taint; to pollute; to defile.
Shall we now
Contaminate
our figures with base bribes?
Shakespeare
Syn. – To pollute; defile; sully; taint; tarnish; soil; stain; corrupt.

Con-tam′i-nate

(-nā̍t)
,
Adj.
Contaminated; defiled; polluted; tainted.
“Contaminate drink.”
Daniel.

Webster 1828 Edition

Contaminate

CONTAMINATE

,
Verb.
T.
[L., to defile.] To defile; to pollute; usually in a figurative sense; to sully; to tarnish; to taint. Lewdness contaminates character; cowardice contaminates honor.
Shall we now contaminate our fingers with base bribes?

CONTAMINATE

,
Adj.
Polluted; defiled; corrupt.

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