sully

[ suhl-ee ]
/ ˈsʌl i /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR sully ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), sul·lied, sul·ly·ing.

to soil, stain, or tarnish.
to mar the purity or luster of; defile: to sully a reputation.

verb (used without object), sul·lied, sul·ly·ing.

to become sullied, soiled, or tarnished.

noun, plural sul·lies.

Obsolete. a stain; soil.

Origin of sully

First recorded in 1585–95; origin uncertain

OTHER WORDS FROM sully

sul·li·a·ble, adjective un·sul·li·a·ble, adjective un·sul·lied, adjective

Words nearby sully

sulla, sullage, sullen, sullivan, sullom voe, sully, sully-prudhomme, sulph-, sulphanilamide, sulphate, sulphate-resisting cement

Words related to sullied

defile, debase, tarnish, smear, blacken, dishonor, taint, smudge, discolor, corrupt, disgrace, besmirch, tar, blot, debauch, spot, mark, dirty, contaminate

Example sentences from the Web for sullied

British Dictionary definitions for sullied (1 of 2)

sully
/ (ˈsʌlɪ) /

verb -lies, -lying or -lied

to stain or tarnish (a reputation, etc) or (of a reputation) to become stained or tarnished

noun plural -lies

a stain
the act of sullying

Derived forms of sully

sulliable, adjective

Word Origin for sully

C16: probably from French souiller to soil

British Dictionary definitions for sullied (2 of 2)

Sully
/ (ˈsʌlɪ, French sylli) /

noun

Maximilien de Béthune (maksimiljɛ̃ də betyn), Duc de Sully. 1559–1641, French statesman; minister of Henry IV. He helped restore the finances of France after the Wars of Religion