stain
/steɪn/
The word carries a strong sense of permanence and frustration. When used physically, it implies a failure of cleaning or a permanent change in the material's state, creating a feeling of ruined purity or cleanliness.
In a social or moral sense, it evokes a feeling of indelible shame. While a "mistake" can be forgotten, a "stain" suggests a mark that remains visible to others, permanently altering how a person is perceived by society.
Countable when referring to a specific mark on a cloth (a coffee stain). Uncountable when referring to the general process of discoloration or the act of staining wood.
💬Casual Conversation
Did you get that coffee stain out of the rug or is it still there?
Did you get that coffee stain out of the rug or is it still there?
Still there. I'm just gonna wing it and scrub it later.
Still there. I'm just gonna wing it and scrub it later.
Meanings
A colored patch or dirty mark that is difficult to remove from a surface.
There was a stubborn coffee stain on the white tablecloth.
A moral blemish or a mark of disgrace upon someone's reputation.
The scandal left a permanent stain on his political career.
To mark or discolor something with a substance that is difficult to remove.
Be careful not to stain your new dress with the red wine.
To color wood or other materials with a dye to enhance its appearance.
He decided to stain the pine bookshelves a dark walnut brown.
To become marked or discolored.
The white fabric began to stain as soon as it touched the rust.
Examples
There was a stubborn coffee stain on the white tablecloth.
The scandal left a permanent stain on his political career.
Be careful not to stain your new dress with the red wine.
He decided to stain the pine bookshelves a dark walnut brown.
The white fabric began to stain as soon as it touched the rust.