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That which taints or destroys moral purity or health; as, the poison of evil example; the poison of sin. Poison ash. (Bot.) (a) A tree of the genus Amyris (A. balsamifera) found in the West Indies, from the trunk of which a black liquor distills, supposed to have poisonous qualities. (b) The poison sumac (Rhus venenata…

To make foul, impure, or unclean; to defile; to taint; to soil; to desecrate; -- used of physical or moral defilement. The land was polluted with blood. Ps. cvi. 38 Wickedness . . . hath polluted the whole earth. 2 Esd. xv. 6.

e, as fruits, meat, etc.; as, to preserve peaches or grapes. You can not preserve it from tainting. Shak.

Figuratively: A vice; a taint; an evil. To pick the vicious quitch Of blood and custom wholly out of him. Tennyson .

on of conscience for a crime committed, or for the sins of one's past life. "Nero will be tainted with remorse." Shak.

residence, position, or place to another. Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane, I can not taint with fear. Shak.

Musty; tainted. [Obs.]

Hence, specific flavor or quality; characteristic property; distinctive temper, tinge, taint, and the like. Why is not my life a continual joy, and the savor of heaven perpetually upon my spirit Baxter.

To imbue; to tinge or taint. "Who by his tutor being seasoned with the love of the truth." Fuller. Season their younger years with prudent and pious principles. Jer. Taylor.

That rage in savage sensuality. Shak. They avoid dress, lest they should have affections tainted by any sensuality. Addison.

Tainted with, or full of, sin; wicked; iniquitous; criminal; unholy; as, sinful men; sinful thoughts. Piers Plowman. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity. Isa. i. 4. -- Sin"ful*ly, adv. -- Sin"ful*ness, n.

Bad, soft coal, containing much earthy matter, found in the immediate locality of faults.

Tainted with mildew; as, smutty corn.

A stain on character or reputation; something that soils purity; disgrace; reproach; fault; blemish. Yet Chloe, sure, was formed without a spot. Pope.

To discolor by the application of foreign matter; to make foul; to spot; as, to stain the hand with dye; armor stained with blood.

ng from excess of sculptures in religion. And the truth With superstitions and traditions taint. Milton.

To restore to purity; to free from taint; as, to sweeten water, butter, or meat.

A stain; a tache. [Obs.]

Harassed; fatigued with travel. [Obs.] Shak.