taint
/teɪnt/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈent] /teɪnt/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈent] /ˈtānt How to pronounce taint (audio)/ (ame, mw)
taint — verb
- taintpresent simple I / you / we / they
- taintshe / she / it
- taintedpast simple
- tainting-ing form
1. to make something dirty, harmful, or less pure by adding an unwanted substance o
to make something dirty, harmful, or less pure by adding an unwanted substance or influence to it — used for physical things like food or water, and also for someone's reputation, image, or character when these are damaged by association with something bad.
Rohan refused to taint the river by dumping waste from his factory.
taint + noun (physical contamination)
The chef threw away the chicken after discovering it had been tainted with salmonella.
passive: be tainted with [pathogen]
A single dishonest act can taint an entire career and undo years of hard work.
Amira's political record was tainted by rumors that later proved to be completely false.
João worried that the oil spill would taint the coastline beyond repair.
- contaminate
more neutral; focuses on physical impurity rather than moral damage
- pollute
stronger, usually about the environment on a large scale
- sully
more literary; almost always about reputation or honor, not physical things
- corrupt
suggests moral decay or dishonest influence rather than physical impurity
文法句型
taint + noun
be tainted + with + noun
be tainted + by + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice (be tainted). The subject is often a reputation, image, or record, while the agent introduced by by or with is usually a scandal, a harmful substance, or an association with wrongdoing.
常見錯誤
taint — noun
- taintsingular
- taintsplural
1. a small amount of something unwanted or harmful that spoils a larger thing, espe
a small amount of something unwanted or harmful that spoils a larger thing, especially a mark on someone's reputation or a trace of pollution in something pure.
The water supply was free from any taint of pollution after the new plant opened.
free from taint of [unwanted thing]
A taint of suspicion still clung to Yara's name despite her protests.
taint + of + [abstract negative]
The committee's final report was issued without the slightest taint of bias or favoritism.
Cole argued that the taint of corruption would never wash off the mayor's administration.
Even a small taint of bitterness in the fruit punch ruined the sweetness for everyone.
- stigma
carries a stronger sense of social disgrace; not used for physical pollution
- stain
more concrete; can be literal (a dirty mark) or figurative
- blot
often used with 'on' — a blot on someone's character
- contamination
more clinical and neutral; preferred for food, water, medical contexts
- purity
the state of being free from unwanted substances or moral flaws
- cleanliness
freedom from dirt or contamination
文法句型
a/the taint + of + noun
free from taint
without taint
用法筆記
The noun is most common in the phrase a taint of + abstract noun (suspicion, corruption, scandal). It is often used with free from or without in negative constructions asserting purity. Unlike the verb, the noun rarely refers to physical contamination with a specific pathogen.