taint
/teɪnt/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈent] /teɪnt/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈent] /ˈtānt How to pronounce taint (audio)/ (ame, mw)
taint — 動詞
- 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
污染；玷污
使受污染或名譽受損
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.
Rohan 拒絕將工廠廢棄物倒入河中，以免污染河流。
taint + noun (physical contamination)
The chef threw away the chicken after discovering it had been tainted with salmonella.
廚師發現雞肉遭沙門氏桿菌污染後，便把整隻雞丟掉了。
passive: be tainted with [pathogen]
A single dishonest act can taint an entire career and undo years of hard work.
一次不誠實的行為就可能玷汙整個職涯，讓多年的努力化為烏有。
Amira's political record was tainted by rumors that later proved to be completely false.
Amira 的政治紀錄被後來證實純屬造假的謠言玷汙了。
João worried that the oil spill would taint the coastline beyond repair.
João 擔心漏油事件會讓這片海岸受到無法挽回的污染。
- 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 — 名詞
- taintsingular
- taintsplural
1. a small amount of something unwanted or harmful that spoils a larger thing, espe
污點；汙染
污染或敗壞的痕跡
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.
新的淨水廠啟用後，供水系統終於不再有任何污染痕跡。
free from taint of [unwanted thing]
A taint of suspicion still clung to Yara's name despite her protests.
儘管 Yara 極力辯白，懷疑的陰影仍然籠罩著她的名字。
taint + of + [abstract negative]
The committee's final report was issued without the slightest taint of bias or favoritism.
委員會的最終報告發布時，完全沒有任何偏袒或偏見的痕跡。
Cole argued that the taint of corruption would never wash off the mayor's administration.
Cole 認為市長政府團隊的貪腐污點永遠洗刷不掉。
Even a small taint of bitterness in the fruit punch ruined the sweetness for everyone.
水果潘趣酒中只要帶有一絲苦味，就會破壞整體的甜味。
- 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.