ETYM Old Fren. ataindre, ateindre, to accuse, convict. Attainder is often erroneously referred to French teindre tie stain. Related to Attaint, Attain.
Cancellation of civil rights; SYN. civil death.
The loss of civil rights for high treason.
Loss of civil rights, formerly result of outlawry or death sentence.

Obsolete; a stain upon honor or purity; disgrace

A hazy or indistinct representation; SYN. fuzz.

ETYM Cf. French discrédit.
1. The act of discrediting or disbelieving, or the state of being discredited or disbelieved.
2. Some degree of dishonor or disesteem; ill repute; reproach.

ETYM Cf. Icel. flekkr; akin to Swed. fläck, Dutch vlek, German fleck, and perh. to Eng. flitch.
A flake; a small piece.

ETYM Latin infamia, from infamis infamous; pref. in- not + fama fame: cf. French infamie. Related to Fame.
1. A state of extreme dishonor; SYN. opprobrium.
2. Evil fame or public reputation.

ETYM Old Eng. shame, schame, as. scamu, sceamu.
1. A painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt.
2. A state of dishonor; SYN. disgrace, ignominy.
Emotion or feeling of embarrassment or humiliation when previously concealed shortcomings become known either to oneself or to others. Shame involves one's fundamental sense of self, and the capacity for shame is part of almost everyone's makeup. It is believed to have its origins in early psychosexual development, emerging in the second or third year of life when a child's sense of self is developing.
Shame can become pathological, to the extent that every little rebuke or admission of failure results in distress. It is often a cause of irrational outbursts of rage and probably an important factor in family violence.

(Music) A curved line spanning notes that are to be played legato.
In musical notation, a curved line written above or below a group of notes, indicating that all the associated notes are to be played or sung legato (smoothly). If staccato dots appear beneath the slur, then this indicates portato, a form of detached articulation. A slur connecting two notes of the same pitch is called a tie.

Smudge, smear, stain; something which is damaging to one's reputation, defamation, slander

ETYM Cf. Dan. smuds smut, Eng. smutch, or smoke.
1. A blemish made by dirt; SYN. spot, blot, daub, smear, smirch, slur.
2. A smoky fire to drive away insects.

ETYM Akin to Swed. smuts, Dan. smuds, Mid. High Germ. smuz, German schmutz, Dutch smet a spot or stain, smoddig, smodsig, smodderig, dirty, smodderen to smut; and probably to Eng. smite. Related to Smite, Smitt, Smutch.
1. Any fungus of the order Usrilaginales; SYN. smut fungus.
2. Destructive diseases of plants (especially cereal grasses) caused by fungi that produce black powdery masses of spores.
In botany, any parasitic fungus of the order Ustilaginales, which infects flowering plants, particularly cereal grasses.

ETYM Cf. Scot. and Dutch spat, Dan. spette, Swed. spott spittle, slaver; from the root of Eng. spit. Related to Spit to eject from the mouth, and cf. Spatter.
The diameter of the area on the target where the temperature determination is made. The spot is defined by the circular aperture at the target which allows typically 90% of the ir energy from the target to be collected by the instrument. See also Size-of-Source Effect.
1. A small contrasting part of something; SYN. speckle, dapple, patch, fleck, maculation.
2. A section of an entertainment that is assigned to a specific performer or performance.
3. A short section or illustration (as between radio or tv programs or in a magazine) that is often used for advertising.
4. A playing card with a specified number of pips on it to indicate its value.
5. A place for entertainment.
6. A mark on a playing card (shape depending on the suit); SYN. pip.
7. (British) A small quantity; SYN. bit.

1. A dye or other coloring material that is used in microscopy to make structures visible.
2. A soiled or discolored appearance; SYN. discoloration, discolouration.
3. In chemistry, a colored compound that will bind to other substances. Stains are used extensively in microbiology to color microorganisms and in histochemistry to detect the presence and whereabouts in plant and animal tissue of substances such as fats, cellulose, and proteins.

ETYM Latin, a mark, a brand, from Greek stigma the prick or mark of a pointed instrument, a spot, mark. Related to Stick.
1. A skin lesion that is a diagnostic sign of some disease.
2. An external tracheal aperture in a terrestrial arthropod.
3. Mark; spot; stain; disgrace; mark representing wound of Christ; Botany, part of pistil, especially end of style, on which pollen germinates.

A contaminating mark or influence

Discoloration of metal surface caused by oxidation.

To charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone; SYN. slander, smirch, asperse, denigrate, calumniate, smear, sully, besmirch.