attaint (redirected from attaints)

at·taint  (-tnt)

tr.v. at·taint·ed, at·taint·ing, at·taints

1. To impart stigma to; disgrace: "No breath of calumny ever attainted the personal purity of Savonarola" (Henry Hart Milman).

2. To pass a sentence of attainder against.

3. Archaic To infect or corrupt, as with illness or vice.

4. Archaic To accuse.

n.

1. Obsolete Attainder.

2. Archaic A disgrace; a stigma.

---

[Middle English attainten, from Old French ataint, past participle of ataindre, to affect; see attain.]

---

attaint [əˈteɪnt]

vb (tr) Archaic

1. (Law) to pass judgment of death or outlawry upon (a person); condemn by bill of attainder

2. to dishonour or disgrace

3. to accuse or prove to be guilty

4. (of sickness) to affect or strike (somebody)

n

1. (Law) a less common word for attainder

2. a dishonour; taint

[from Old French ateint convicted, from ateindre to attain]

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	attaint - bring shame or dishonor upon; "he dishonored his family by committing a serious crime" disgrace, dishonor, dishonour, shame befoul, maculate, defile, foul - spot, stain, or pollute; "The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it"
	2.	attaint - condemn by attainder; "the man was attainted" condemn - demonstrate the guilt of (someone); "Her strange behavior condemned her"