See also: 'taint and Taïnt

English edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /teɪnt/
  • (file)
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -eɪnt

Etymology 1 edit

From Middle French teint, from Old French teint (past participle of teindre (to dye, to tinge)), from Latin tinctum (past participle of tingere); compare tint.

Noun edit

taint (plural taints)

  1. A contamination, decay or putrefaction, especially in food.
  2. A tinge, trace or touch.
  3. A mark of disgrace, especially on one's character; blemish.
  4. (obsolete) Tincture; hue; colour.
  5. (obsolete) Infection; corruption; deprivation.
  6. (programming) A marker indicating that a variable is unsafe and should be subjected to additional security checks.
    • 2006, Jim Chow, Stanford University. Computer Science Dept, Understanding data lifetime (page 33)
      Using Apache version 1.3.29 and Perl version 5.8.2, we tracked the following sequence of taints []
Derived terms edit
Translations edit

Verb edit

taint (third-person singular simple present taints, present participle tainting, simple past and past participle tainted)

  1. (transitive) To contaminate or corrupt (something) with an external agent, either physically or morally.
  2. (transitive) To spoil (food) by contamination.
  3. (intransitive) To be infected or corrupted; to be touched by something corrupting.
  4. (intransitive) To be affected with incipient putrefaction.
    Meat soon taints in warm weather.
  5. (transitive, computing, programming) To mark (a variable) as unsafe, so that operations involving it are subject to additional security checks.
  6. (transitive, Australia, finance) To invalidate (a share capital account) by transferring profits into it.
Synonyms edit
  • (to contaminate): leper (rare)
Related terms edit
Translations edit

Etymology 2 edit

From Middle English taynt, aphetic form of attaynt, atteynt, from Old French atteinte (a blow, stroke). Compare with attaint.

Noun edit

taint (plural taints)

  1. A thrust with a lance, which fails of its intended effect.
    • 1857, Homerus, translated by George Chapman, The Iliads: Never Before in Any Language Truly Translated, page 74:
      This taint he follow'd with his sword, drawn from a silver sheath, Which lifting high, he struck his helm full where his plume did stand, On which it piecemeal brake, and fell from his unhappy hand.
  2. An injury done to a lance in an encounter, without its being broken; also, a breaking of a lance in an encounter in a dishonorable or unscientific manner.
Translations edit

Verb edit

taint (third-person singular simple present taints, present participle tainting, simple past and past participle tainted)

  1. (transitive) To damage, as a lance, without breaking it; also, to break, as a lance, but usually in an unknightly or unscientific manner.
  2. (intransitive) To thrust ineffectually with a lance.

Etymology 3 edit

Reportedly from the phrase “'tain't your balls and 'tain't your ass”. Ascribed to E.E. Landy's Underground Dict. (1972) is the following explanation: ‘'taint their ass and 'taint their pussy.[1]

Noun edit

taint (plural taints)

  1. (US, vulgar, slang) The perineum.
    • 2000 June 17, Marc Newman, “Re: Americas are overated”, in talk.politics.guns[1] (Usenet):
      Sorry you feel that way. But since your mother sucks cocks in hell if I go there I won't be rotting.....I'll be on line right behind you hoping to get another good head job from your Mom or Sister....if you can remember which is which.......(Moms the one with the beard on her taint)
    • 2005 July 14, Noodles Jefferson, “Re: My Wife's Raw Comments”, in rec.sport.pro-wrestling[2] (Usenet):
      Even her taint's raw?
    • 2010 February 22, Duchamanos, “Re: Huck Finn 2010-anyone going?”, in rec.sport.disc[3] (Usenet):
      Did you know that guy has absolutely no tan lines? He'll show his taint to prove it!
    • 2017, John Oliver, Last Week Tonight, HBO:
      Thats right, Alex Jones is trying to sell you sloppy wet rags for your tait [sic]. And-- and when you are done wiping down the area between your genitals and anus with a glorified wet nap...
      And look-- look, this tactical taint wipe has demonstrated incredible results, hasn't it, Doctor?
Translations edit

Etymology 4 edit

Contraction of it ain't.

Contraction edit

taint

  1. Alternative spelling of 'taint

References edit

Anagrams edit