STAIN


Meaning of STAIN in English

/ steɪn; NAmE / verb , noun

■ verb

1.

stain (sth) (with sth) to leave a mark that is difficult to remove on sth; to be marked in this way :

[ vn ]

I hope it doesn't stain the carpet.

[ v ]

This carpet stains easily.

[ vn - adj ]

The juice from the berries stained their fingers red.

➡ note at mark

2.

to change the colour of sth using a coloured liquid :

[ vn ]

to stain wood

Stain the specimen before looking at it under the microscope.

[ vn - adj ]

They stained the floors dark brown.

3.

[ vn ] ( formal ) to damage the opinion that people have of sth :

The events had stained the city's reputation unfairly.

■ noun

1.

[ C ] a dirty mark on sth, that is difficult to remove :

a blood / a coffee / an ink, etc. stain

stubborn stains (= that are very difficult to remove)

How can I get this stain out?

The carpet has been treated so that it is stain-resistant (= it does not stain easily) .

2.

[ U , C ] a liquid used for changing the colour of wood or cloth

3.

[ sing. ] a ~ on sth ( formal ) something that damages a person's reputation, so that people think badly of them

••

WORD ORIGIN

late Middle English (as a verb): shortening of archaic distain , from Old French desteindre tinge with a colour different from the natural one. The noun was first recorded (mid 16th cent.) in the sense defilement, disgrace .

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.