blemish

¹blem·ish

verb \ˈble-mish\

Definition of BLEMISH

transitive verb

: to spoil by a flaw

Examples of BLEMISH

1. A series of burn marks blemish the table's surface.
2. The incident blemished his reputation.

Origin of BLEMISH

Middle English blemisshen, to damage, injure, sully, from Anglo-French blemiss-, stem of blemir, blesmir, from Old French, literally, to make pale by wounding, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German blasros horse with a blaze, Old Norse blesi blaze — more at blaze

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to BLEMISH

Synonyms: taint, darken, mar, poison, spoil, stain, tarnish, touch, vitiate

Antonyms: doctor, fix, mend, patch, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, renovate, repair, revamp

Related Words: begrime, besmear, besmirch, blacken, blur, cloud, dirty, discolor, pollute, smear, smirch, smudge, smut, soil, sully, tar; abase, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, foul, lower, shame, sink; bastardize, corrupt, debauch, demoralize, deprave, pervert, subvert; color, distort, twist

Near Antonyms: cleanse, purify; dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, glorify, hallow, magnify, uplift

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with BLEMISH

Flemish