■ verb
1》 mark or discolour with something that is not easily removed.
2》 damage (someone's or something's reputation).
3》 colour with a penetrative dye or chemical.
■ noun
1》 a stubborn discoloured patch or dirty mark.
2》 a thing that damages a reputation.
3》 a dye or chemical used to colour materials.
↘ Biology a dye used to colour organic tissue so as to make the structure visible for microscopic examination.
4》 Heraldry any of the minor colours used in blazoning and liveries.
Derivatives
~able adjective
~er noun
Origin
ME: shortening of archaic di~ , from OFr. desteindre 'tinge with a different colour'.