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attaint

[ uh-teynt ]
/ əˈteɪnt /
|
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verb (used with object)

Law. to condemn by a sentence or a bill or act of attainder.
to disgrace.
Archaic. to accuse.
Obsolete. to prove the guilt of.

noun

Obsolete. a stain; disgrace; taint.

RELATED WORDS

blot, disgrace, tarnish, spot, dishonor, taint, shame, blemish, humiliation, ignominy, stigma

Nearby words

  1. attain,
  2. attainable,
  3. attainder,
  4. attainment,
  5. attainment target,
  6. attainture,
  7. attalid,
  8. attalus i,
  9. attalus ii,
  10. attalus iii

Origin of attaint

1250–1300; Middle English ataynte, derivative of ataynt convicted < Anglo-French, Old French, past participle of ataindre to convict, attain
Related formsun·at·taint·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for attaint

British Dictionary definitions for attaint

attaint

/ (əˈteɪnt) /

verb (tr) archaic

to pass judgment of death or outlawry upon (a person); condemn by bill of attainder
to dishonour or disgrace
to accuse or prove to be guilty
(of sickness) to affect or strike (somebody)

noun

a less common word for attainder
a dishonour; taint

Word Origin for attaint

C14: from Old French ateint convicted, from ateindre to attain
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012