Definition of tarnish
transitive verb
1 : to dull or destroy the luster of by or as if by air, dust, or dirt : soil, stain
2a : to detract from the good quality of : vitiate his fine dreams now slightly tarnishedb : to bring disgrace on : sully the scandal has tarnished his reputation
intransitive verb
: to become tarnished
From the M-W Editors
Examples of tarnish in a Sentence
Some foods will tarnish silver.
The scandal tarnished his reputation.
Origin and Etymology of tarnish
Middle English ternysshen, from Middle French terniss-, stem of ternir, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German tarnan to hide
First Known Use: 15th century
tarnish
Definition of tarnish
: something that tarnishes; especially : a film of chemically altered material on the surface of a metal (such as silver)
Examples of tarnish in a Sentence
a polish that removes tarnish
1684
First Known Use of tarnish
1684
TARNISH Defined for English Language Learners
tarnish
playDefinition of tarnish for English Language Learners
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: to become or cause (metal) to become dull and not shiny
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: to damage or ruin the good quality of (something, such as a person's reputation, image, etc.)
tarnish
Definition of tarnish for English Language Learners
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: a thin layer on the surface of metal which makes the metal look dull
TARNISH Defined for Kids
Definition of tarnish for Students
tarnished
;tarnishing
1 : to make or become dull, dim, or discolored
2 : to bring disgrace or ruin The scandal tarnished his reputation.
Definition of tarnish for Students
: a surface coating formed during tarnishing
Learn More about tarnish
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See words that rhyme with tarnish Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tarnish Spanish Central: Translation of tarnish Nglish: Translation of tarnish for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of tarnish for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tarnish
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