4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Stain  \Stain\,  v.  i. 
  To  give  or  receive  a  stain;  to  grow  dim. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Stain  \Stain\,  n. 
  1.  A  discoloration  by  foreign  matter;  a  spot;  as  a  stain  on 
  a  garment  or  cloth.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  A  natural  spot  of  a  color  different  from  the  gound. 
 
  Swift  trouts,  diversified  with  crimson  stains. 
  --Pope. 
 
  3.  Taint  of  guilt;  tarnish;  disgrace;  reproach. 
 
  Nor  death  itself  can  wholly  wash  their  stains. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  Our  opinion  .  .  .  is  I  trust,  without  any  blemish 
  or  stain  of  heresy.  --Hooker. 
 
  4.  Cause  of  reproach;  shame.  --Sir  P.  Sidney. 
 
  5.  A  tincture;  a  tinge.  [R.] 
 
  You  have  some  stain  of  soldier  in  you  --Shak. 
 
  Syn:  Blot;  spot;  taint;  pollution;  blemish;  tarnish;  color; 
  disgrace;  infamy;  shame. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Stain  \Stain\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Stained};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Staining}.]  [Abbrev.  fr  distain.] 
  1.  To  discolor  by  the  application  of  foreign  matter;  to  make 
  foul;  to  spot;  as  to  stain  the  hand  with  dye;  armor 
  stained  with  blood. 
 
  2.  To  color,  as  wood,  glass,  paper,  cloth,  or  the  like  by 
  processess  affecting,  chemically  or  otherwise,  the 
  material  itself  to  tinge  with  a  color  or  colors  combining 
  with  or  penetrating,  the  substance;  to  dye;  as  to  stain 
  wood  with  acids,  colored  washes,  paint  rubbed  in  etc.;  to 
  stain  glass. 
 
  3.  To  spot  with  guilt  or  infamy;  to  bring  reproach  on  to 
  blot;  to  soil;  to  tarnish. 
 
  Of  honor  void,  Of  innocence,  of  faith,  of  purity, 
  Our  wonted  ornaments  now  soiled  and  stained. 
  --Milton. 
 
  4.  To  cause  to  seem  inferior  or  soiled  by  comparison. 
 
  She  stains  the  ripest  virgins  of  her  age.  --Beau.  & 
  Fl 
 
  That  did  all  other  beasts  in  beauty  stain. 
  --Spenser. 
 
  {Stained  glass},  glass  colored  or  stained  by  certain  metallic 
  pigments  fused  into  its  substance,  --  often  used  for 
  making  ornament  windows. 
 
  Syn:  To  paint;  dye;  blot;  soil;  sully;  discolor;  disgrace; 
  taint. 
 
  Usage:  {Paint},  {Stain},  {Dye}.  These  denote  three  different 
  processes;  the  first  mechanical,  the  other  two 
  chiefly  chemical.  To  paint  a  thing  is  so  spread  a  coat 
  of  coloring  matter  over  it  to  stain  or  dye  a  thing  is 
  to  impart  color  to  its  substance.  To  stain  is  said 
  chiefly  of  solids,  as  wood,  glass,  paper;  to  dye,  of 
  fibrous  substances,  textile  fabrics,  etc.;  the  one 
  commonly,  a  simple  process,  as  applying  a  wash;  the 
  other  more  complex,  as  fixing  colors  by  mordants. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  stain 
  n  1:  a  soiled  or  discolored  appearance;  "the  wine  left  a  dark 
  stain"  [syn:  {discoloration},  {discolouration}] 
  2:  a  dye  or  other  coloring  material  that  is  used  in  microscopy 
  to  make  structures  visible 
  3:  the  state  of  being  covered  with  unclean  things  [syn:  {dirt}, 
  {filth},  {grime},  {soil},  {grease}] 
  4:  a  symbol  of  disgrace  or  infamy;  "And  the  Lord  set  a  mark 
  upon  Cain"--Genesis  [syn:  {mark},  {stigma},  {brand}] 
  5:  an  act  that  brings  discredit  to  the  person  who  does  it  "he 
  made  a  huge  blot  on  his  copybook"  [syn:  {blot},  {smear},  {smirch}, 
  {spot}] 
  v  1:  mark  with  dye,  as  of  furniture;  "Stain  this  table  a 
  beautiful  walnut  color" 
  2:  make  a  spot  or  mark  onto  "The  wine  spotted  the  tablecloth" 
  [syn:  {spot},  {fleck},  {blob},  {blot}] 
  3:  produce  or  leave  stains;  "Red  wine  stains  table  coths" 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words