taint

noun

1. A contamination, decay or putrefaction, especially in food.
2. A tinge, trace or touch.

   “There is a taint of death, a flavour of mortality in lies, - which is exactly what I hate and detest in the world - what I want to forget.”

3. A mark of disgrace, especially on one's character; blemish.
4. (obsolete)Tincture; hue; colour.
5. (obsolete)Infection; corruption; deprivation.

   “A prison taint was on everything there. The imprisoned air, the imprisoned light, the imprisoned damps, the imprisoned men, were all deteriorated by confinement.”

   “He had inherited from his ancestors a scrofulous taint, which it was beyond the power of medicine to remove.”

6. A marker indicating that a variable is unsafe and should be subjected to additional security checks.

   “Using Apache version 1.3.29 and Perl version 5.8.2, we tracked the following sequence of taints […]”

7. A thrust with a lance, which fails of its intended effect.

   “This taint he follow'd with his sword, drawn from a silver sheath, Which lifting high, he struck his helm full where his plume did stand, On which it piecemeal brake, and fell from his unhappy hand.”

8. An injury done to a lance in an encounter, without its being broken; also, a breaking of a lance in an encounter in a dishonorable or unscientific manner.
9. (US, slang, vulgar)The perineum.

   “Sorry you feel that way. But since your mother sucks cocks in hell if I go there I won't be rotting.....I'll be on line right behind you hoping to get another good head job from your Mom or Sister....if you can remember which is which.......(Moms the one with the beard on her taint)”

   “Even her taint's raw?”

   “Did you know that guy has absolutely no tan lines? He'll show his taint to prove it!”

   “Thats right, Alex Jones is trying to sell you sloppy wet rags for your tait [sic]. And-- and when you are done wiping down the area between your genitals and anus with a glorified wet nap... And look-- look, this tactical taint wipe has demonstrated incredible results, hasn't it, Doctor?”

verb

1. (transitive)To contaminate or corrupt (something) with an external agent, either physically or morally.

   “His unkindness may defeat my life, / But never taint my love.”

2. (transitive)To spoil (food) by contamination.
3. (intransitive)To be infected or corrupted; to be touched by something corrupting.

   “I cannot taint with fear.”

4. (intransitive)To be affected with incipient putrefaction.

   “Meat soon taints in warm weather.”

5. (transitive)To mark (a variable) as unsafe, so that operations involving it are subject to additional security checks.
6. (Australia, transitive)To invalidate (a share capital account) by transferring profits into it.
7. (transitive)To damage, as a lance, without breaking it; also, to break, as a lance, but usually in an unknightly or unscientific manner.

   “Do not fear; I have / A staff to taint, and bravely.”

8. (intransitive)To thrust ineffectually with a lance.

contraction

1. (alt-of, alternative, contraction)Alternative spelling of 'taint.