DISTAIN

distain. Distain, v.t. to stain, tinge, blot, defame, defile

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Dis‐tain″ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distained (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Distaining.] [[OE. desteinen, OF. desteindre to take away the color, F. déteindre; pref. des- (L. dis-) + F. teindre to tinge, dye, L. tingere. See Tinge, and cf. Stain.]] To tinge with a different color from the natural or proper one; to stain; to discolor; to sully; to tarnish; to defile; — used chiefly in poetry. “Distained with dirt and blood.” Spenser. hath . . . distained her honorable blood. Spenser. The worthiness of praise distains his worth. Shak.