besmirchv.
/bɪˈsməːtʃ/ To soil, discolour, as with smoke, soot, or mud; also figurative to sully, dim the lustre of.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > sullying or staining of reputation > stain or sully [verb (transitive)]
filea1325
foulc1330
tache1390
dark?c1400
distain1406
smita1413
blemish1414
black?c1425
defoul1470
maculate?a1475
macule1484
tan1530
staina1535
spota1542
smear1549
blot1566
besmear1579
defile1581
attaint1590
soila1596
slubber1599
tack1601
woad1603
besmirch1604
blur1604
to breathe upon ——1608
be-smut1610
clouda1616
sullya1616
taint1623
smutch1640
blackena1649
to cast, put, throw (etc.) a slur on or upon (a person or thing)1654
beslur1675
tarnish1695
blackwash1762
carbonify1792
smirch1820
tattoo1884
dirten1987
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > soil [verb (transitive)]
sulec897
smitOE
soil1297
besoila1300
bysulpc1400
smudgec1430
dauba1450
smirch1495
smotter1513
suddle1513
smada1525
coinquinatea1529
puddle1535
moil1575
smut1587
sud1593
sully1601
coninquinate1609
smirch1615
smutcha1616
beslurry1627
besullya1645
smoot1683
besmircha1700
be-smutch1832
guggle1866
dirten1906
1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet i. iii. 15 And now no soyle nor cautell doth besmirch The vertue of his will. View more context for this quotation
a1700 Bride's Bur. in Percy Reliques III. (R.) Fair Helen's face Did Grecian dames besmirche.
1881 Daily Tel. 14 Nov. You cannot permanently besmirch a work of art. Time is sure to rub off the stain.
1882 Garden 21 Jan. 33/3 The first shower of rain would..besmirch the velvet of their petals.
Derivatives
beˈsmirched adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > [adjective]
solc1200
soileda1250
suddly1488
sullied1571
smirched1600
besmircheda1616
smutted1622
moiled1632
soily1677
smutched1785
besoiled1834
smirchy1889
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > sullying or staining of reputation > [adjective] > stained or sullied
smoterlyc1405
spotted?a1425
maculate1490
blotted1596
staineda1628
maculated1646
sullied1683
tarnished1716
besmirched1864
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry V (1623) iv. iii. 111 Our Gaynesse and our Gilt are all besmyrcht.
1864 Spectator 618 The toiling, and besmirched priesthood of the world.
1868 W. Morris Earthly Paradise Prol. 94 In besmirked array Some met us.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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