Stain1. (v. t.) To discolor by the application of foreign matter; to make foul; to spot; as, to stain the hand with dye; armor stained with blood.
2. (v. t.) To color, as wood, glass, paper, cloth, or the like, by processes affecting, chemically or otherwise, the material itself; to tinge with a color or colors combining with, or penetrating, the substance; to dye; as, to stain wood with acids, colored washes, paint rubbed in, etc.; to stain glass.
3. (v. t.) To spot with guilt or infamy; to bring reproach on; to blot; to soil; to tarnish.
4. (v. t.) To cause to seem inferior or soiled by comparison.
5. (v. i.) To give or receive a stain; to grow dim.
6. (n.) A discoloration by foreign matter; a spot; as, a stain on a garment or cloth.
7. (n.) A natural spot of a color different from the ground.
8. (n.) Taint of guilt; tarnish; disgrace; reproach.
9. (n.) Cause of reproach; shame.
10. (n.) A tincture; a tinge.
Thesaurus Entries
apply paint, aspersion, attaint, badge of infamy, bar sinister, bastardize, baton, bedaub, bedizen, begild, bend sinister, besmear, besmirch, besmoke, besmutch, besoil, bespatter, bestain, birthmark, black, black eye, black mark, blacken, blaze, blaze a trail, blemish, bloodstain, blot, blotch, blow upon, blur, brand, broad arrow, brush on paint, brutalize, calcimine, caste mark, censure, chalk, chalk up, champain, check, check off, checkmark, chromogen, cicatrix, cicatrize, coat, coat of paint, coating, color, color filter, color gelatin, colorant, coloring, complexion, contaminate, corrupt, cover, cut, dab, dapple, darken, dash, daub, dead-color, debauch, deep-dye, defame, defect, defile, define, delimit, demarcate, demoralize, deprave, dip, dirty, disapprove, discolor, discoloration, disgrace, disparage, disparagement, distemper, dot, double-dye, drier, dye, dyestuff, earmark, emblazon, enamel, engild, engrave, engraving, expose, expose to infamy, exterior paint, eyesore, face, fast-dye, flat coat, flat wash, flaw, fleck, flick, floor enamel, flyspeck, freckle, fresco, gash, gibbet, gild, glaze, gloss, grain, graving, ground, hack, hang in effigy, hatch, hue, illuminate, imbue, impress, imprint, imputation, ingrain, interior paint, japan, jot, lacquer, lay on color, lentigo, line, macula, maculation, macule, make a mark, mark, mark of Cain, mark off, mark out, marking, medium, mole, mottle, nevus, nick, notch, odium, onus, opaque color, paint, parget, patch, pencil, pepper, pervert, pigment, pillory, pillorying, point, point champain, polka dot, prick, prime, prime coat, primer, priming, print, punch, punctuate, puncture, reflection, reprimand, reproach, riddle, ruin, scar, scarification, scarify, scorch, score, scotch, scratch, scratching, seal, seam, sear, shade, shadow, shame, shellac, singe, slop on paint, slubber, slur, smear, smirch, smoke, smouch, smudge, smut, smutch, soil, soilage, soilure, spatter, speck, speckle, splash, splatter, splotch, spoil, spot, stamp, stigma, stigmatism, stigmatization, stigmatize, stipple, strawberry mark, streak, striate, stripe, sully, taint, tar, tarnish, tattoo, tattoo mark, tempera, thinner, tick, tick off, tinct, tinction, tincture, tinge, tint, tittle, tone, trace, transparent color, turpentine, turps, undercoat, undercoating, underline, underscore, varnish, vehicle