BLEMISH

blemish, defect, mar

(noun) a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something (especially on a person’s body); “a facial blemish”

flaw, blemish

(verb) add a flaw or blemish to; make imperfect or defective

blemish, spot

(verb) mar or impair with a flaw; “her face was blemished”

deface, disfigure, blemish

(verb) mar or spoil the appearance of; “scars defaced her cheeks”; “The vandals disfigured the statue”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

blemish (plural blemishes)

A small flaw which spoils the appearance of something, a stain, a spot.

A moral defect; a character flaw.

Synonyms

• See also defect

Verb

blemish (third-person singular simple present blemishes, present participle blemishing, simple past and past participle blemished)

To spoil the appearance of.

To tarnish (reputation, character, etc.); to defame.

Source: Wiktionary


Blem"ish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blemished; p. pr. & vb. n. Blemishing.] Etym: [OE. blemissen, blemishen, OF. blemir, blesmir, to strike, injure, soil, F. blĂŞmir to grow pale, fr. OF. bleme, blesme, pale, wan, F. blĂŞme, prob. fr. Icel blaman the livid color of a wound, fr. blar blue; akin to E. blue. OF. blemir properly signifies to beat one (black and) blue, and to render blue or dirty. See Blue.]

1. To mark with deformity; to injure or impair, as anything which is well formed, or excellent; to mar, or make defective, either the body or mind. Sin is a soil which blemisheth the beauty of thy soul. Brathwait.

2. To tarnish, as reputation or character; to defame. There had nothing passed between us that might blemish reputation. Oldys.

Blem"ish, n.; pl. Blemishes (.

Definition: Any mark of deformity or injury, whether physical or moral; anything; that diminishes beauty, or renders imperfect that which is otherwise well formed; that which impairs reputation. He shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish. Lev. xiv. 10. The reliefs of an envious man are those little blemishes and imperfections that discover themselves in an illustrious character. Spectator.

Syn.

– Spot; speck; flaw; deformity; stain; defect; fault; taint; reproach; dishonor; imputation; disgrace.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

18 June 2025

SOUARI

(noun) large South American evergreen tree trifoliate leaves and drupes with nutlike seeds used as food and a source of cooking oil


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Coffee Trivia

Decaffeinated coffee is not caffeine-free. Studies from the National Institute of Health (US) have shown that virtually all decaf coffee types contain caffeine. A 236-ml (8-oz) cup of decaf coffee contains up to 7 mg of caffeine, whereas a regular cup provided 70-140 mg.

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