stain

verb

/steɪn/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they stain	/steɪn/ /steɪn/
he / she / it stains	/steɪnz/ /steɪnz/
past simple stained	/steɪnd/ /steɪnd/
past participle stained	/steɪnd/ /steɪnd/
-ing form staining	/ˈsteɪnɪŋ/ /ˈsteɪnɪŋ/

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[transitive, intransitive] to leave a mark that is difficult to remove on something; to be marked in this way
- stain (something) (with something) I hope it doesn't stain the carpet.
- This carpet stains easily.
- stain something + adj. The juice from the berries stained their fingers red.
Extra Examples
- The children's fingers were stained purple with blackberry juice.
- The shirt was heavily stained with blood.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
preposition
- with
phrases
- be badly stained
- be heavily stained
- be slightly stained
- …
See full entry
[transitive] to change the colour of something using a coloured liquid
- stain something to stain wood
- Stain the specimen before looking at it under the microscope.
- stain something + adj. They stained the floors dark brown.
- The floors had been stained dark brown.
Topics Colours and Shapesc2
[transitive] stain something (formal) to damage the opinion that people have of something
- The events had stained the city's reputation unfairly.

Word Originlate Middle English (as a verb): shortening of archaic distain, from Old French desteindre ‘tinge with a colour different from the natural one’. The noun was first recorded (mid 16th cent.) in the sense ‘defilement, disgrace’.

stain

noun

/steɪn/

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[countable] a dirty mark on something, that is difficult to remove
- a blood/a coffee/an ink stain
- stubborn stains (= that are very difficult to remove)
- How can I get this stain out?
- The carpet has been treated so that it is stain-resistant (= it does not stain easily).
Synonyms mark
mark
- stain
- fingerprint
- streak
- speck
- blot
- smear
- spot
These are all words for a small area of dirt or another substance on a surface.
- mark a small area of dirt, a spot or a cut on a surface that makes it look less good:
  The kids left dirty marks all over the kitchen floor.
- stain a dirty mark on something that is difficult to remove, especially one made by a liquid:
  blood stains
- fingerprint a mark on a surface made by the pattern of lines on the end of a person’s finger, often used by the police to identify criminals:
  Her fingerprints were all over the gun.
- streak a long, thin mark or line that is a different colour from the surface it is on:
  She had streaks of grey in her hair.
- speck a very small mark, spot or piece of a substance on something:
  There isn’t a speck of dust anywhere in the house.
- blot a spot or dirty mark left on something by a substance such as ink or paint being dropped on a surface
- smear a mark made by something such as oil or paint being spread or rubbed on a surface
- spot a small dirty mark on something:
  There were grease spots all over the walls.
Patterns
- a streak/speck/blot/smear/spot of something
- a greasy mark/stain/smear
- an ink mark/stain/blot/spot
- a grease mark/stain/spot
- to leave a mark/stain/fingerprint/streak/speck/blot/smear
Extra Examples
- The glass fell off the table and a dark stain spread over the carpet.
- I couldn't get the stains out of my jeans.
- Our new washing powder will get rid of even the most stubborn stains.
- The oil had left stains on the floor.
- They can give you advice on stain removal.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- stubborn
- dark
- blood
- …
verb + stain
- leave
- get out
- remove
- …
stain + verb
- spread
stain + noun
- remover
preposition
- stain on
See full entry
[uncountable, countable] a liquid used for changing the colour of wood or cloth
- wood stain
- Apply two coats of white stain.
[singular] a stain on something (formal) something that damages a person’s reputation, so that people think badly of them
- He left the court without a stain on his character.
- The scandal left a dark stain on his reputation.