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   Taint

   /tānt/

   

   noun

   • 1. a trace of a bad or undesirable quality or substance: "she manages to make paintings about love and beauty that are free of the taint of sentimentality"
   • ▪ a thing whose influence or effect is perceived as contaminating or undesirable: "the taint that threatens to stain most of the company's other partners"
   • ▪ an unpleasant smell: "the lingering taint of creosote"

   verb

   • 1. contaminate or pollute (something): "the air was tainted by fumes from the cars" Similar contaminatepolluteadulterateinfectblightbefoulspoilsoilruindestroyOpposite clean
   • ▪ affect with a bad or undesirable quality: "his reputation was tainted by scandal" Similar tarnishsullyblackenstainbesmirchsmearblotblemishstigmatizemarcorruptdefilesoilmuddyfouldirtydamageinjureharmhurtdebaseinfectpoisonvitiatedrag through the mudblot one's copybookbrandOpposite improve
   • ▪ (of food or water) become contaminated or polluted: "the rennet should be soaked in water containing sufficient salt to keep it from tainting"

   Word Origin Middle English (as a verb in the sense ‘convict, prove guilty’): partly from Old French teint ‘tinged’, based on Latin tingere ‘to dye, tinge’; partly a shortening of attaint.

   Scrabble Points: 5

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