tarnish
Word family adjectivetarnishabletarnishedverbtarnishnountarnisher
tar·nish1 /ˈtɑːnɪʃ $ ˈtɑːr-/ verb 1 [transitiveT]HCMSPOIL if an event or fact tarnishes someone’s reputation, record, image etc, it makes it worse 玷污,败坏,损害〔名誉、形象等〕 His regime was tarnished by human rights abuses. 他的政权因践踏人权而形象受损。
2 [intransitiveI, transitiveT]SHINE if metals such as silver, copper, or brass tarnish, or if something tarnishes them, they become dull and lose their colour (使)〔银、铜等金属〕失去光泽,变暗淡 Gold does not tarnish easily. 黄金色泽不容易变暗。
tarnished silver spoons 发乌的银勺
tarnish2 noun [singular, uncountableU] SHINEdullness of colour, or loss of brightness 颜色晦暗;暗淡无光 Origin tarnish1 (1400-1500) Old French ternir “to make dull”