Stain Definition

stān

stained, staining, stains

verb

stained, staining, stains

To spoil the appearance of by patches or streaks of color or dirt; discolor; spot.

Webster's New World

To impart or take a color or stain.

Webster's New World

To bring into disrepute; taint or tarnish.

The scandal stained the mayor's reputation.

American Heritage

To bring shame upon (someone's character, reputation, etc.); taint; disgrace; dishonor.

Webster's New World

To change the appearance of (wood, glass, etc.) by applying a dye, pigment, etc.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

noun

stains

A discoloration, streak, or spot resulting from staining.

Webster's New World

A moral blemish; dishonor; guilt; taint.

A stain on one's reputation.

Webster's New World

A diminishment of one's moral character or good reputation by being associated with something disgraceful.

American Heritage

A liquid substance applied especially to wood that penetrates the surface and imparts a rich color.

American Heritage

A substance used to impart color in staining.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Stain

Singular:

stain

Plural:

From Middle English steinen, steynen (“to stain, colour, paint"), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse steina (“to stain, colour, paint"), from steinn (“stone, mineral blee, colour, stain"), from Proto-Norse ᛊᛏᚨᛁᚾᚨᛉ (stainaz), from Proto-Germanic *stainaz (“stone"), from Proto-Indo-European *stAy- (“stone"). Cognate with Old English stān (“stone"). More at stone.

From Wiktionary
In some senses, influenced by unrelated Middle English disteynen (“to discolor, remove the colour from"; literally, "de-colour"), from Anglo-Norman desteindre (“to remove the colour from, bleach"), from Old French desteindre (“to remove the color from, bleach"), from des- (“dis-, de-, un-") + teindre (“to dye"), from Latin tingo.

From Wiktionary
Middle English steinen partly from Old French desteindre desteign- to deprive of color (des- dis-) (teindre to dye) (from Latin tingere) and partly from Old Norse steina to paint

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition