tarnish

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To oxidize or discolor due to oxidation.

   Careful storage of silver will prevent it from tarnishing.

2. 2
   verb

   To compromise, damage, soil, or sully.

   He is afraid that she will tarnish his reputation if he disagrees with her.

Simplified etymology

Tarnish comes from French terne, “dark” or “dull,” and entered English in the late Middle Ages for the loss of lustre from a surface such as silver. Its figurative sense, “make less valuable or respected,” has been established since the late 17th century.

From Middle English ternysshen, from Old French terniss-, stem of ternir (“to make dim, make wan”), borrowed from Old High German *ternen, tarnen, from Proto-West Germanic *darnijan (“to conceal”). Doublet of dern and darn.

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