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tarnish

 
Dictionary: tar·nish   (tär'nĭsh) pronunciation

v., -nished, -nish·ing, -nish·es.

v.tr.
  1. To dull the luster of; discolor, especially by exposure to air or dirt.
    1. To detract from or spoil; taint: a tragedy that tarnished our hopes.
    2. To cast aspersions on; sully: slander that tarnished the senator's image.
v.intr.
  1. To lose luster; become discolored.
  2. To diminish or become tainted.
n.
  1. The condition of being tarnished.
  2. Discoloration of a metal surface caused by corrosion or oxidation.
  3. The condition of being sullied or tainted.

[Middle English ternisshen, from Old French ternir, terniss-, to dull, from terne, dull, of Germanic origin.]

tarnishable tar'nish·a·ble adj.

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Thesaurus: tarnish
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verb

  1. To spoil the soundness or perfection of: blemish, damage, detract from, disserve, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, prejudice, vitiate. See better/worse, help/harm/harmless.
  2. To contaminate the reputation of: befoul, besmear, besmirch, bespatter, blacken, cloud, denigrate, dirty, smear, smudge, smut, soil, spatter, stain, sully, taint. Idioms: give a black eye to, slingthrowmud on. See attack/defend, clean/dirty.

noun

    A mark of discredit or disgrace: black eye, blemish, blot, onus, spot, stain, stigma, taint. Archaic attaint. Idioms: a blot on one's escutcheon. See marks, respect/contempt/standing.

Antonyms: tarnish
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v

Definition: dirty, corrupt
Antonyms: clean, fix, polish, uncorrupt


Dental Dictionary: tarnish
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n

1. surface discoloration or loss of luster by metals. Under oral conditions, it often results from hard and soft deposits. 2. a chemical process by which a metal surface is discolored or its luster destroyed.

Architecture: tarnish
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An oxide layer on a metal surface that causes it to dull, often discoloring it.


Word Tutor: tarnish
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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: To dull, stain, or discolor.

pronunciation Existing in the reputation a person has regardless of his or her accomplishments, fame does not tarnish as honor does when it is unmerited. — Mortimer J. Adler, U.S. philosopher, educator.

Wikipedia: Tarnish
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Tarnish is a thin layer that forms over copper, brass, silver, aluminum, and other semi-reactive metals as their outermost layer undergoes a chemical reaction. Tarnish is mainly caused by chemicals in the air, such as sulfur. It often appears as a usually dull, gray or black film or coat over metal. Tarnish can easily be removed, however, and does not destroy the metal the way the oxidation process known as rust destroys iron. In the case of silver and copper tarnish actually preserves the underlying metal and is considered desirable. [1]

Chemistry

Tarnish is a product of a chemical reaction between a metal and a nonmetal or compound, especially oxygen and sulfur dioxide. It is usually an oxide, the product of oxidation.

Prevention and removal

Using a thin coat of polish can prevent tarnish from forming over semi-reactive metals. Tarnish can be removed by using steel wool, sandpaper, emery paper, or a file to rub or polish the metal's dull surface. Fine objects (such as silverware) may have the tarnish electrochemically reversed.[2]

See also



Translations: Tarnish
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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - mattere, gøre anløben, plette, besmudse
v. intr. - blive mat, blive anløben
n. - mat, glansløshed, anløbethed

Nederlands (Dutch)
dof maken of worden, bezoedelen

Français (French)
v. tr. - (lit, fig) ternir
v. intr. - (lit, fig) se ternir
n. - (lit, fig) ternissure

Deutsch (German)
v. - anlaufen, matt od. trübe werden, beschmutzen, trüben
n. - Anlaufen, Trübung

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - αμαυρώνω, θαμπώνω, σκοτεινιάζω, ξεθωριάζω, κηλιδώνω, σπιλώνω
n. - αμαύρωση, θαμπάδα, πατίνα

Italiano (Italian)
appannarsi, infangare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - deslustrar, manchar, sujar
n. - deslustre (m), mancha (f)

Русский (Russian)
тусклость, тусклая плоскость, (фигур.) запятнать (репутацию)

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - deslustrar, empañar, manchar, descolorar
v. intr. - deslustrarse, empañarse, mancharse, descolorarse
n. - deslustre, empañadura, mancha

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - fläcka, göra matt, missfärga, mista sin glans, bli skamfilad, skadas
n. - glanslöshet, matthet, missfärgning, fläck

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
使失去光泽, 玷污, 败坏, 失去光泽, 变灰暗, 蒙受耻辱, 被玷污, 晦暗, 污点

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 使失去光澤, 玷污, 敗壞
v. intr. - 失去光澤, 變灰暗, 蒙受恥辱, 被玷污
n. - 晦暗, 污點, 玷污

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 흐리게 하다, 녹슬게 하다
v. intr. - 흐려지다, 녹슬다
n. - 흐림, 녹, 오점

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 曇り, 錆び
v. - 曇らせる, 変色させる, 汚す

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يفقده بريقه أو لمعانه (الاسم) بقله زراعيه, لطخه القلقاس,‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הכההלכלך, הכתים‬
v. intr. - ‮התעמם, כהה, פג זוהרו‬
n. - ‮כהות, עימום, הכהייה, כתם‬


 
 
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burnish
smear
Rink, Henry (Quotes By)

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