ENGLISH
REFERENCE

stained

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈsteɪnd// UK //stˈeɪnd// stained

v. to leave a mark on something that is difficult to remove. You often use this when you spill food or drink on your clothes.

v. to mark or discolour something with a substance that is difficult to remove. Often used in the passive voice to describe the resulting state of a surface or fabric.


SIMPLE

The red wine stained my white shirt.

CONTEXTUAL

Be careful with that coffee because it will stain the carpet if you spill it.

COMPLEX

The leaked chemicals stained the riverbanks a deep orange, providing a visible and lasting record of the factory's environmental negligence.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. Often used in the passive voice ('is stained').

Pitfall

The shirt stained of coffeeThe shirt was stained with coffeeWhen describing the cause of the mark, use the preposition 'with' or 'by', not 'of'.

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