empañar

See also: empanar

Spanish edit

From paño and pañal, the diversity of senses perhaps arising through the metaphor of covering what once was clear.

empañar (first-person singular present empaño, first-person singular preterite empañé, past participle empañado)

(transitive) to put a nappy/diaper on
(transitive) to steam up
(transitive) to tarnish
- 1915, Ricardo Güiraldes, Cuentos de muerte y de sangre, Trenzador:
  Perfeccionábase, malgrado lo cual una sombra de tristeza parecía empañar su gloria.
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- 2015 September 15, “La cogida de un banderillero empaña el triunfo de Del Álamo y Castella”, in El País‎^[1]:
  La cogida de un banderillero empaña el triunfo de Del Álamo y Castella [article title]
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)
(reflexive) to fog up, steam up, cloud over
Mis gafas se empañaron tanto que no podía ver nada.
My glasses fogged up so much that I couldn't see anything.
(reflexive, of tears) to well up

Conjugation of empañar (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

¹Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.