STAIN

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does stain mean? 

• STAIN (noun)
  The noun STAIN has 5 senses:

1. a soiled or discolored appearance

2. (microscopy) a dye or other coloring material that is used in microscopy to make structures visible

3. the state of being covered with unclean things

4. a symbol of disgrace or infamy

5. an act that brings discredit to the person who does it

  Familiarity information: STAIN used as a noun is common.

• STAIN (verb)
  The verb STAIN has 4 senses:

1. color with a liquid dye or tint

2. produce or leave stains

3. make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically

4. color for microscopic study

  Familiarity information: STAIN used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STAIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A soiled or discolored appearance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

discoloration; discolouration; stain

Context example:

the wine left a dark stain

Hypernyms ("stain" is a kind of...):

appearance; visual aspect (outward or visible aspect of a person or thing)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stain"):

bloodstain (a discoloration caused by blood)

iron mold; iron mould (a spot caused the staining with rust or ink)

mud stain (a stain produced by mud)

oil stain (a stain produced by oil)

tarnish (discoloration of metal surface caused by oxidation)

scorch (a discoloration caused by heat)

Derivation:

stain (produce or leave stains)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(microscopy) a dye or other coloring material that is used in microscopy to make structures visible

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("stain" is a kind of...):

color; coloring material; colour; colouring material (any material used for its color)

Domain category:

microscopy (research with the use of microscopes)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stain"):

crystal violet; gentian violet (a green crystal (violet in water) used as a dye or stain or bactericide or fungicide or anthelmintic or burn treatment)

counterstain (a stain of contrasting color that is used when the principal stain does not show the structure clearly)

methylene blue; methylthionine chloride (a dark green dye used as a stain, an antiseptic, a chemical indicator, and an antidote in cyanide poisoning)

Derivation:

stain (color for microscopic study)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The state of being covered with unclean things

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

dirt; filth; grease; grime; grunge; soil; stain

Hypernyms ("stain" is a kind of...):

dirtiness; uncleanness (the state of being unsanitary)

Derivation:

stain (produce or leave stains)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A symbol of disgrace or infamy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

brand; mark; stain; stigma

Context example:

And the Lord set a mark upon Cain

Hypernyms ("stain" is a kind of...):

symbol (an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stain"):

demerit (a mark against a person for misconduct or failure; usually given in school or armed forces)

bar sinister; bend sinister (a mark of bastardy; lines from top right to bottom left)

cloven foot; cloven hoof (the mark of Satan)

Derivation:

stain (make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically)

Sense 5

Meaning:

An act that brings discredit to the person who does it

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

blot; smear; smirch; spot; stain

Context example:

he made a huge blot on his copybook

Hypernyms ("stain" is a kind of...):

error; fault; mistake (a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention)

Derivation:

stain (make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically)

• STAIN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they stain    ... he / she / it stains   
Past simple: stained   
Past participle: stained   
-ing form: staining   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Color with a liquid dye or tint

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

people knew how to stain glass a beautiful blue in the middle ages

Hypernyms (to "stain" is one way to...):

dye (color with dye)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stain"):

ebonise; ebonize (stain black to make it look like ebony)

dip (stain an object by immersing it in a liquid)

tattoo (stain (skin) with indelible color)

marble (paint or stain like marble)

vein (make a veinlike pattern)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

stainer (a worker who stains (wood or fabric))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Produce or leave stains

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Red wine stains the table cloth

Hypernyms (to "stain" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Verb group:

blob; blot; fleck; spot (make a spot or mark onto)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stain"):

smut (stain with a dirty substance, such as soot)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

stain (a soiled or discolored appearance)

stain (the state of being covered with unclean things)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

defile; maculate; stain; sully; tarnish

Context example:

Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man

Hypernyms (to "stain" is one way to...):

blob; blot; fleck; spot (make a spot or mark onto)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stain"):

darken (tarnish or stain)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

stain (an act that brings discredit to the person who does it)

stain (a symbol of disgrace or infamy)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Color for microscopic study

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The laboratory worker dyed the specimen

Hypernyms (to "stain" is one way to...):

dye (color with dye)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

stain ((microscopy) a dye or other coloring material that is used in microscopy to make structures visible)

staining ((histology) the use of a dye to color specimens for microscopic study)

 Context examples 

Of all the throng there was scarce one who was not labor-stained and weary, for Abbot Berghersh was a hard man to himself and to others.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His wild eyes, stained cheeks, and unkempt hair all spoke of the sudden blow which had fallen upon the household.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

According to the country surgeon, the lady had stains upon her face, but none upon her hand.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A cytochemical staining technique used to detect alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) activity.

(Alpha Naphthyl Acetate Esterase Staining Method, NCI Thesaurus)

A human nuclear matrix protein with demonstrated immunohistochemical staining differences between benign and malignant prostate tissue.

(Nucleophosmin, NCI Thesaurus)

I cannot call to mind where or when, in my childhood, I had seen a stained glass window in a church.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Any rod shaped, anaerobic bacteria that cannot convert carbohydrates into acids and alcohols and has a cell wall that contains low levels of peptidoglycan and stains pink with the Gram staining technique.

(Non-Fermentative Gram Negative Bacillus, NCI Thesaurus)

Public disgrace I might have faced, although I am a man whose character has never yet borne a stain.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Using Deep Learning, Dr. Finkbeiner’s team trained a computer program to analyze brain cells by showing it stained and unstained images.

(Scientists teach computers how to analyze brain cells, National Institutes of Health)

An immunohistochemical test result indicating that there are neoplastic cells stained positive with the p16 INK4a monoclonal antibody.

(p16 Positive Neoplastic Cells Present, NCI Thesaurus)