- 1[transitive, intransitive] to leave a mark that is difficult to remove on something; to be marked in this way stain (something) (with something) I hope it doesn't stain the carpet. This carpet stains easily. stain something + adj. The juice from the berries stained their fingers red.
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- 2[transitive] to change the color of something using a colored liquid stain something to stain wood Stain the specimen before looking at it under the microscope. stain something + adj. They stained the floors dark brown.
- 3[transitive] stain something (formal) to damage the opinion that people have of something The events had stained the city's reputation unfairly.
stain
verbNAmE//steɪn//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they stain he / she / it stains
past simple stained
-ing form staining
Check pronunciation: stain