To stain, soil, or tarnish something, especially someone's reputation or honor.
From Old French 'desteindre' (to discolor), combining 'des-' (away) and 'teindre' (to dye or color), from Latin 'tingere'. The meaning shifted from literal discoloration to metaphorical damage to reputation.
Shakespeare loved this word—it appears in his sonnets to describe how time and circumstance damage beauty and virtue, giving us a poetic way to talk about moral staining that's much richer than simple 'ruining.'
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