blemish

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English blemisshen, blemissen, from Old French blemiss-, stem of Old French blemir, blesmir (“make pale, injure, wound, bruise”) (French blêmir), from Old Frankish *blesmijan, *blasmijan (“to make pale”), from Old Frankish *blasmī (“pale”), from Proto-Germanic *blasaz (“white, pale”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine”). Cognate with Dutch bles (“white spot”), German blass (“pale”), Old English āblered (“bare, uncovered, bald, shaven”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈblɛmɪʃ/ Rhymes: -ɛmɪʃ Hyphenation: blem‧ish === Noun === blemish (plural blemishes) A small flaw which spoils the appearance of something, a stain, a spot. A moral defect; a character flaw. ==== Synonyms ==== See also Thesaurus:defect ==== Related terms ==== blemished (adjective) blemishless blemishment emblemishment (obsolete) ==== Translations ==== === Verb === blemish (third-person singular simple present blemishes, present participle blemishing, simple past and past participle blemished) (transitive) To spoil the appearance of. (transitive) To tarnish (reputation, character, etc.); to defame. Synonyms: besmirch, denigrate, stain; see also Thesaurus:defame ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ====