tarnishing [
'tɑrnɪʃ]
Tarnish \Tar"nish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Tarnished}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Tarnishing}.] [F. ternir, fr. OHG. tarnen to darken,
to conceal, hide; akin to OS. dernian to hide, AS. dernan,
dyrnan, OHG. tarni hidden, OS. derni, AS. derne, dyrne. Cf.
{Dern}, a., and see {-ish}.]
To soil, or change the appearance of, especially by an
alternation induced by the air, or by dust, or the like; to
diminish, dull, or destroy the luster of; to sully; as, to
tarnish a metal; to tarnish gilding; to tarnish the purity of
color. ``Tarnished lace.'' --Fuller. Used also figuratively;
as, to tarnish one's honor.
Syn: To sully; stain; dim.
- They would loosen BMW's control over marketing and servicing, he says, possibly tarnishing its image.
- Cricket is not the only English institution to take a tarnishing in recent weeks.
- Such maneuvers are further tarnishing the outlook for what was America's fastest-growing investment sector.
- The trappers, meeting this weekend for the National Trappers Association's 29th annual convention, say they are misunderstood animal lovers and blame animal rights activists for tarnishing their image.
- Wall Street executives say an internal debate has been under way at Goldman about whether it was worth the risk of tarnishing its squeaky-clean investment banking franchise in order to make quick profits on the vulture fund.
- "I'm glad that finally the long ordeal is over," Meese said. "But I'm outraged at the tarnishing of our system of justice that has gone on this afternoon and with the filing of this report by the independent counsel.
- Opposition to the sales tax among the Japanese public was blamed for much of the losses suffered by the LDP in local elections last month, tarnishing the image of Mr. Nakasone.