Stain has 11 different meanings across 2 categories:
Noun
· Verb
Noun
1
a soiled or discolored appearance
"the wine left a dark stain"
2
(microscopy) a dye or other coloring material that is used in microscopy to make structures visible
"The pathologist applied hematoxylin as a stain to clearly visualize the cell nuclei under the microscope."
3
the state of being covered with unclean things
"The dog made a mess on the carpet, leaving it stained and difficult to clean."
4
a symbol of disgrace or infamy
"And the Lord set a mark upon Cain"
5
an act that brings discredit to the person who does it
"he made a huge blot on his copybook"
6
A discoloured spot or area.
"The spilled coffee left a permanent brown stain on the white shirt."
In plain English: A stain is an unwanted mark that gets stuck on something and won't come off easily.
"The red wine stain on my white shirt was very difficult to remove."
Verb
1
color with a liquid dye or tint
"Stain this table a beautiful walnut color"
"people knew how to stain glass a beautiful blue in the middle ages"
2
produce or leave stains
"Red wine stains the table cloth"
3
make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically
"The silver was tarnished by the long exposure to the air"
"Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man"
4
color for microscopic study
"The laboratory worker dyed the specimen"
5
To discolour.
"The spilled coffee left an unsightly brown stain on the white tablecloth."
Example Sentences
"The red wine stain on my white shirt was very difficult to remove."
noun
"The red wine left a permanent stain on the white tablecloth."
noun
"She found an old oil stain on her favorite shirt."
noun
"There was a mysterious dark stain in the middle of the carpet that wouldn't come out."
noun
Related Terms
Show all 187 terms ↓
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
Origin
The word "stain" comes from the North Germanic term for a mineral blue or colored spot and entered English through Middle English to replace an older native word. Its original meaning was closely tied to stone before it came to describe any discoloration on a surface.