attaint
C1/C2 (Very Low Frequency)Formal, Archaic, Literary, Historical/Legal
Definition
Meaning
To taint, disgrace, or corrupt; historically, to subject to attainder (legal condemnation and loss of civil rights).
To infect or stain morally; to bring into disrepute. In historical legal contexts, to declare someone's honour and rights forfeited, often for treason.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primary modern use is literary or historical. The sense of 'infect' or 'corrupt' is archaic. It is a highly marked word, rarely encountered outside specialized texts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The word is equally archaic and rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations: archaism, legal history, severe disgrace.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both, perhaps marginally more likely in British historical or legal writing due to the UK's historical legal system, but the difference is negligible.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] attainted [Object] (with something)[Object] was attainted of [crime] by [authority]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “blood attainted (historically: corruption of lineage through a legal judgment)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used only in historical or literary studies to discuss legal history or archaic texts.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used in historical legal scholarship to describe the medieval/early modern process of attainder.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The family's name was attainted by an Act of Parliament in 1746.
- He feared the scandal would attaint his reputation permanently.
American English
- The nobleman was attainted of high treason and his lands were seized.
- A single corrupt act can attaint an entire legacy.
adjective
British English
- The attainted lord could no longer sit in the House of Lords.
- They sought to restore the rights of the attainted families.
American English
- The Constitution prohibits bills of attainder, which would create attainted individuals without trial.
- He lived under the cloud of an attainted name.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The politician's career was attainted by the corruption allegations.
- In history class, we learned about attainted nobles who lost their titles.
- The legal doctrine of attainder, whereby a person could be attainted and their property forfeited, fell into disuse in the 19th century.
- The writer argued that the nation's psyche was still attainted by the injustices of its past.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: ATTAIN + a T (for 'taint'). To ATTAIN a Taint is to become disgraced.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISGRACE IS A STAIN OR DISEASE (His name was attainted by the scandal).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить как "достигать" (to attain).
- Основные переводы: "позорить, порочить" (disgrace, dishonour), "лишать гражданских прав" (historically).
- Beware of false cognate with Russian "аттайн" (which doesn't exist).
Common Mistakes
- Using it to mean 'attain' or 'achieve'.
- Using it in modern, informal contexts.
- Incorrect spelling: 'attainted' vs. 'attained' (the latter is the past tense of 'attain').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the PRIMARY modern sense of 'attaint'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are different words. 'Attain' means to achieve or reach, while 'attaint' means to disgrace or, historically, to legally condemn.
Rarely. It is considered an archaic or highly formal/literary word. You will most likely encounter it in historical or legal texts.
The related noun is 'attainder', specifically for the historical legal process. 'Attaint' itself can function as a noun in archaic use, meaning a stain or disgrace.
In its original, now archaic sense, yes (e.g., 'attainted blood'). In modern understanding, it is almost exclusively moral or reputational.