stained

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adj. coloured by a special liquid that soaks into the material, like wood or glass.

adj. treated with a pigment or dye that penetrates the substrate to alter its colour while often leaving the texture visible.

“The dark stained wood of the table made the room look very elegant.”

“The sunlight filtered through the stained glass windows, casting vibrant patterns of red and blue across the stone floor of the cathedral.”

C1 · Advanced Literary · Formal

v. to have damaged someone's reputation or good name.

v. to have brought reproach or disgrace upon a person's character or record. Transitive in this figurative sense.

“The scandal stained his reputation for the rest of his career.”

“The allegations of corruption stained the minister's legacy, overshadowing the significant social reforms he had implemented during his first term.”