stain

[ steyn ]

/ steɪn /

noun

a discoloration produced by foreign matter having penetrated into or chemically reacted with a material; a spot not easily removed.

a natural spot or patch of color different from that of the basic color, as on the body of an animal.

a cause of reproach; stigma; blemish: a stain on one's reputation.

coloration produced by a dye that penetrates a substance, as wood.

a dye made into a solution for coloring woods, textiles, etc.

a reagent or dye used in treating a specimen for microscopic examination.

verb (used with object)

to discolor with spots or streaks of foreign matter.

to bring reproach or dishonor upon; blemish.

to sully with guilt or infamy; corrupt.

to color or dye (wood, cloth, etc.) by any of various processes that change or react with the substance chemically.

to color with something that penetrates the substance.

to treat (a microscopic specimen) with some reagent or dye in order to color the whole or parts and so give distinctness, contrast of tissues, etc.

verb (used without object)

to produce a stain.

to become stained; take a stain: This fabric stains easily.

Origin of stain

1350–1400; Middle English steynen < Old Norse steina to paint; in some senses aphetic form of distain

SYNONYMS FOR stain

1, 3 mark, imperfection, blot.

3 taint.

7 spot, streak, soil, dirty.

8 sully, taint, tarnish, disgrace, dishonor, debase, defile, contaminate, pollute.

OTHER WORDS FROM stain

stain·a·ble, adjective stain·a·bil·i·ty, stain·a·ble·ness, noun stain·a·bly, adverb stain·er, noun

de·stain·er, noun non·stain·a·ble, adjective non·stain·er, noun non·stain·ing, adjective re·stain, verb un·der·stain, noun un·der·stain, verb (used with object) well-stained, adjective

Words nearby stain

stagnation mastitis, stagy, stagyrite, stahl, staid, stain, stained glass, stained glass ceiling, stainer, staines, staining

Example sentences from the Web for staining

The police, he says, did not help for fear of staining their clothes with the blood.

Gang-Raped Indian Woman’s Companion Speaks Out About the Attack |Shivam Vij |January 4, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
The too common mistake is to try to imitate oak by staining pine or poplar or birch.

Carpentry for Boys |J. S. Zerbe
The grain of the wood will show up well if the surface is given a dull waxed finish after staining.

Mission Furniture |H. H. Windsor
They combine the fixing with the staining process, and stain differentially every normal and abnormal structure in the blood.

A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis |James Campbell Todd

Starch-granules sometimes retain their original form, but are ordinarily not to be recognized except by their staining reaction.

A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis |James Campbell Todd
In addition the nucleus contains a body (n) smaller than in the preceding stage, but staining the same.

Studies in Spermatogenesis |Nettie Maria Stevens

British Dictionary definitions for staining

stain

/ (steɪn) /

verb (mainly tr)

to mark or discolour with patches of something that dirties the dress was stained with coffee

to dye with a penetrating dyestuff or pigment

to bring disgrace or shame on to stain someone's honour

to colour (specimens) for microscopic study by treatment with a dye or similar reagent

(intr) to produce indelible marks or discoloration does ink stain?

noun

a spot, mark, or discoloration

a moral taint; blemish or slur

a dye or similar reagent, used to colour specimens for microscopic study

a solution or liquid used to penetrate the surface of a material, esp wood, and impart a rich colour without covering up the surface or grain

any dye that is made into a solution and used to colour textiles and hides

Derived forms of stain

stainable, adjective stainability, noun stainer, noun

Word Origin for stain

C14 steynen (vb), shortened from disteynen to remove colour from, from Old French desteindre to discolour, from des- dis- 1 + teindre, from Latin tingere to tinge

Medical definitions for staining (1 of 2)

staining

[ stā′nĭng ]

n.

The act of applying a stain.

Modification of the color of the tooth or of the denture base to give a more realistic appearance.

Medical definitions for staining (2 of 2)

stain

[ stān ]

n.

A reagent or dye that is used for staining microscopic specimens.

A procedure in which a dye or a combination of dyes and reagents is used to color the constituents of cells and tissues.

v.

To treat specimens for the microscope with a reagent or dye that makes visible certain structures without affecting others.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

stain

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of stain

SYNONYMS FOR stain

OTHER WORDS FROM stain

Words nearby stain

Example sentences from the Web for staining

British Dictionary definitions for staining

verb (mainly tr)

noun

Derived forms of stain

Word Origin for stain

Medical definitions for staining (1 of 2)

n.

Medical definitions for staining (2 of 2)

n.

v.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

stain

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of stain

SYNONYMS FOR stain

OTHER WORDS FROM stain

Words nearby stain

Words related to staining

Example sentences from the Web for staining

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for staining

verb (mainly tr)

noun

Derived forms of stain

Word Origin for stain

Medical definitions for staining (1 of 2)

n.

Medical definitions for staining (2 of 2)

n.

v.

British Dictionary definitions for staining