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.

Definition 2024

taint

taint

See also: 'taint

English

Noun

taint ‎(plural taints)

  1. A contamination, decay or putrefaction, especially in food
  2. A mark of disgrace, especially on one's character; blemish
  3. (obsolete) tincture; hue; colour
  4. (obsolete) infection; corruption; deprivation
    • Macaulay
      He had inherited from his parents a scrofulous taint, which it was beyond the power of medicine to remove.
Translations

Verb

taint ‎(third-person singular simple present taints, present participle tainting, simple past and past participle tainted)

  1. (transitive) To contaminate or corrupt (something) with an external agent, either physically or morally.
    • Shakespeare
      His unkindness may defeat my life, / But never taint my love.
  2. (transitive) To spoil (food) by contamination.
  3. (intransitive) To be infected or corrupted; to be touched by something corrupting.
    • Shakespeare
      I cannot taint with fear.
  4. (intransitive) To be affected with incipient putrefaction.
    Meat soon taints in warm weather.
  5. (transitive, computing, programming) To mark (a variable) as unsafe, so that operations involving it are subject to additional security checks.
  6. (transitive, Australia, finance) To invalidate (a share capital account) by transferring profits into it.
Translations

Etymology 2

From French atteinte ‎(“a blow, stroke”). Compare with attaint.

Noun

taint ‎(plural taints)

  1. A thrust with a lance, which fails of its intended effect.
  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.
Translations

Verb

taint ‎(third-person singular simple present taints, present participle tainting, simple past and past participle tainted)

  1. (transitive) To damage, as a lance, without breaking it; also, to break, as a lance, but usually in an unknightly or unscientific manner.
    • Massinger
      Do not fear; I have / A staff to taint, and bravely.
  2. (transitive) To hit or touch lightly, in tilting.
    • Ld. Berners
      They tainted each other on the helms and passed by.
  3. (intransitive) To thrust ineffectually with a lance.

Etymology 3

Reportedly from the phrase “'tain't your balls and 'tain't your ass”.

Noun

taint ‎(plural taints)

  1. (slang) The perineum.
    • 2000 June 17, "Marc Newman" (username), "Re: Americas are overated", in talk.politics.guns, Usenet:
      Sorry you feel that way. But since your mother sucks cocks in **** if I go there I won't be rotting.....I'll be on line right behind you hoping to get another good head job from your Mom or Sister....if you can remember which is which.......(Moms the one with the beard on her taint)
    • 2005 July 14, "Noodles Jefferson" (username), "Re: My Wife's Raw Comments", in rec.sport.pro-wrestling, Usenet:
      Even her taint's raw?
    • 2010 February 22, "Duchamanos" (username), "Re: Huck Finn 2010-anyone going?", in rec.sport.disc, Usenet:
      Did you know that guy has absolutely no tan lines? He'll show his taint to prove it!
Translations

Etymology 4

Contraction of it ain't.

Contraction

taint

  1. Alternative spelling of 'taint

Anagrams

Etymology

From Latin tingere, tinctum via French teint (past participle of teindre ‎(“to dye, to tinge”))

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /teɪnt/
  • Rhymes: -eɪnt

Similar Results