tarnish

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English ternysshen, from Old French terniss-, stem of ternir (“to make dim, make wan”), borrowed from Old High German *ternen, tarnen, from Proto-West Germanic *darnijan (“to conceal”). Doublet of dern and darn. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈtɑːnɪʃ/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈtɑɹnɪʃ/ Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)nɪʃ === Noun === tarnish (usually uncountable, plural tarnishes) Oxidation or discoloration, especially of a decorative metal exposed to air. 1918, Hannah Teresa Rowley, Mrs. Helen Louise (Wales) Farrell, Principles of Chemistry Applied to the Household Precipitated calcium carbonate, a very fine powdery form, is used as a basis for many tooth powders and pastes. As whiting it finds a wide use in cleaning metals of their tarnishes. ==== Translations ==== === Verb === tarnish (third-person singular simple present tarnishes, present participle tarnishing, simple past and past participle tarnished) (intransitive) To oxidize or discolor due to oxidation. Synonyms: oxidate, oxygenize Hyponyms: patinate, rust (transitive) To compromise, damage, soil, or sully. Synonyms: (literal) befoul, inquinate; (figurative) denigrate, blot; see also Thesaurus:dirty, Thesaurus:defame (intransitive, figurative) To lose its lustre or attraction; to become dull. Synonyms: dull, dullen, leaden, pall (copyright law) To use a sign, image, expression, etc. sufficiently close to a trademarked one that it brings disrepute to it. ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === Hartins, rantish