TARNISHED

Verb

tarnished

simple past tense and past participle of tarnish

Adjective

tarnished (comparative more tarnished, superlative most tarnished)

Discolored or blemished.

(figurative, by extension, of one's reputation, name or word) Sullied or dishonored.

Anagrams

• interdash, train shed, trainshed

Source: Wiktionary


TARNISH

Tar"nish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tarnished; p. pr. & vb. n. Tarnishing.] Etym: [F. ternir, fr. OHG. tarnen to darken, to conceal, hide; akin to OS. dernian to hide, AS. dernan, dyrnan, OHG. tarni hidden, OS. derni, AS. derne, dyrne. Cf. Dern, a., and see -ish.]

Definition: To soil, or change the appearance of, especially by an alternation induced by the air, or by dust, or the like; to diminish, dull, or destroy the luster of; to sully; as, to tarnish a metal; to tarnish gilding; to tarnish the purity of color. "Tarnished lace." Fuller. Used also figuratively; as, to tarnish one's honor.

Syn.

– To sully; stain; dim.

Tar"nish, v. i.

Definition: To lose luster; to become dull; as, gilding will tarnish in a foul air. Till thy fresh glories, which now shine so bright, Grow stale and tarnish with our daily sight. Dryden.

Tar"nish, n.

1. The quality or state of being tarnished; stain; soil; blemish.

2. (Min.)

Definition: A thin film on the surface of a metal, usually due to a slight alteration of the original color; as, the steel tarnish in columbite.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

2 February 2025

BACK

(adverb) at or to or toward the back or rear; “he moved back”; “tripped when he stepped backward”; “she looked rearward out the window of the car”


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

According to WorldAtlas, Canada is the only non-European country to make its top ten list of coffee consumers. The United States at a distant 25 on the list.

coffee icon