Main Entry:

¹taint

Pronunciation:

\ˈtānt\

Function:

verb

Etymology:

Middle English teynten to color & taynten to attaint; Middle English teynten, from Anglo-French teinter, from teint, past participle of teindre, from Latin tingere; Middle English taynten, short for attaynten — more at tinge, attain

Date:

1573

transitive verb1: to contaminate morally : corrupt <scholarship tainted by envy>2: to affect with putrefaction : spoil3: to touch or affect slightly with something bad <persons tainted with prejudice>intransitive verb1obsolete : to become weak2: to become affected with putrefaction : spoil

synonyms see contaminate