taint

plural taints

1. A contamination, decay or putrefaction, especially in food.

   Synonyms: adulterant, contamination, pollutant, adulterant, adulterator, contaminant, contamination, contaminator

2. A tinge, trace or touch.

   There is a taint of death, a flavour of mortality in lies, - which is exactly what I hate and detest in the world - what I want to forget.

   1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 216

3. A mark of disgrace, especially on one's character; blemish.
4. obsoleteTincture; hue; colour.
5. obsoleteInfection; corruption; deprivation.

   He had inherited from his ancestors a scrofulous taint, which it was beyond the power of medicine to remove.

   1856 December, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “Samuel Johnson”, in T[homas] F[lower] E[llis], editor, The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches of Lord Macaulay, new edition, London: Longman, Green, Reader, & Dyer, published 1871, →OCLC

   1 more example

   A prison taint was on everything there. The imprisoned air, the imprisoned light, the imprisoned damps, the imprisoned men, were all deteriorated by confinement.

   1855 December – 1857 June, Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, →OCLC

6. computingA marker indicating that a variable is unsafe and should be subjected to additional security checks.

   Using Apache version 1.3.29 and Perl version 5.8.2, we tracked the following sequence of taints […]

   2006, Jim Chow, Stanford University. Computer Science Dept, Understanding data lifetime (page 33)

present singular third person taints · participle present tainting · participle past tainted · past tainted

1. transitiveTo contaminate or corrupt (something) with an external agent, either physically or morally.

   His unkindness may defeat my life, / But never taint my love.

   c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]

   Synonyms: leper

2. transitiveTo spoil (food) by contamination.
3. intransitiveTo be infected or corrupted; to be touched by something corrupting.

   I cannot taint with fear.

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]

4. intransitiveTo be affected with incipient putrefaction.

   Meat soon taints in warm weather.

5. transitivecomputingTo mark (a variable) as unsafe, so that operations involving it are subject to additional security checks.
6. AustraliatransitivebusinessTo invalidate (a share capital account) by transferring profits into it.

plural taints

1. A thrust with a lance, which fails of its intended effect.

   This taint he follow'd with his sword, drawn from a silver sheath, Which lifting high, he struck his helm full where his plume did stand, On which it piecemeal brake, and fell from his unhappy hand.

   1857, Homerus, translated by George Chapman, The Iliads: Never Before in Any Language Truly Translated, page 74

2. An injury done to a lance in an encounter, without its being broken; also, a breaking of a lance in an encounter in a dishonorable or unscientific manner.

present singular third person taints · participle present tainting · participle past tainted · past tainted

1. transitiveTo damage, as a lance, without breaking it; also, to break, as a lance, but usually in an unknightly or unscientific manner.

   Do not fear; I have / A staff to taint, and bravely.

   1624 November 3 (first performance), Philip Massinger, “The Parliament of Love”, in W[illiam] Gifford, editor, The Plays of Philip Massinger, […], volume II, London: […] G[eorge] and W[illiam] Nicol; […] by W[illiam] Bulmer and Co. […], published 1805, →OCLC, Act IV, scene iii, page 293

2. intransitiveTo thrust ineffectually with a lance.

plural taints

1. USslangvulgarThe perineum.

   Even her taint's raw?

   2005 July 14, Noodles Jefferson, “Re: My Wife's Raw Comments”, in rec.sport.pro-wrestling (Usenet)

   3 more examples

   Sorry you feel that way. But since your mother sucks cocks in hell if I go there I won't be rotting.....I'll be on line right behind you hoping to get another good head job from your Mom or Sister....if you can remember which is which.......(Moms the one with the beard on her taint)

   2000 June 17, Marc Newman, “Re: Americas are overated”, in talk.politics.guns (Usenet)

   Did you know that guy has absolutely no tan lines? He'll show his taint to prove it!

   2010 February 22, Duchamanos, “Re: Huck Finn 2010-anyone going?”, in rec.sport.disc (Usenet)

   Thats right, Alex Jones is trying to sell you sloppy wet rags for your tait [sic]. And-- and when you are done wiping down the area between your genitals and anus with a glorified wet nap... And look-- look, this tactical taint wipe has demonstrated incredible results, hasn't it, Doctor?

   2017, John Oliver, Last Week Tonight, HBO

1. alternativecontractionAlternative spelling of 'taint.