Library / English Dictionary

TARNISH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Discoloration of metal surface caused by oxidation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("tarnish" is a kind of...):

discoloration; discolouration; stain (a soiled or discolored appearance)

Derivation:

tarnish (make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically

Example:

Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man

Synonyms:

defile; maculate; stain; sully; tarnish

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "tarnish" is one way to...):

blob; blot; fleck; spot (make a spot or mark onto)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tarnish"):

darken (tarnish or stain)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

tarnish (discoloration of metal surface caused by oxidation)

Credits