besmirch

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English besmorchen (attested in besmorchid). Compare Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”). By surface analysis, be- +‎ smirch. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/ (General American) IPA(key): /bɪˈsmɝːt͡ʃ/ Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)tʃ === Verb === besmirch (third-person singular simple present besmirches, present participle besmirching, simple past and past participle besmirched) (transitive, literary) To make dirty. Synonyms: soil, sully, tarnish; see also Thesaurus:dirty (transitive) To tarnish something, especially someone's reputation. Synonyms: blacken, debase, libel, smear, slander; see also Thesaurus:defame Antonym: unbesmirch ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === Schembri