taint

A contamination, decay or putrefaction, especially in food.

A tinge, trace or touch.

There is a taint of death, a flavour of mortality in lies, - which is exactly what I hate and detest in the world - what I want to forget.

A mark of disgrace, especially on one's character; blemish.

Tincture; hue; colour.

Infection; corruption; deprivation.

A prison taint was on everything there. The imprisoned air, the imprisoned light, the imprisoned damps, the imprisoned men, were all deteriorated by confinement.

He had inherited from his ancestors a scrofulous taint, which it was beyond the power of medicine to remove.

To contaminate or corrupt (something) with an external agent, either physically or morally.

His unkindness may defeat my life, / But never taint my love.

To spoil (food) by contamination.

To be infected or corrupted; to be touched by something corrupting.

I cannot taint with fear.

To be affected with incipient putrefaction.

Meat soon taints in warm weather.

To mark (a variable) as unsafe, so that operations involving it are subject to additional security checks.

A thrust with a lance, which fails of its intended effect.

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.

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.