Forms: 4–6 ataynt(e, 5–6 ateynt(e, atteynt, (attend), 5–7 attaynt, atteint, (6 attent) 6– attaint. Aphetic TAINT. [f. ATTAINT ppl. a. (cf. to convict), which was also used as pa. pple. of this, for a considerable time, till attainted took its place. Attaint had thus originally some of the early senses of attain; but its subseq. development was affected by its being associated in fancy with TAINT v. 1 (F. taindre, teindre, pa. pple. taint, teint:—L. tingĕre, tinctus, to steep, dye, stain), with which its aphetic form coincided; so that in some senses, it passed into the latter vb.]
I. To touch, get at; = ATTAIN.
† 1. To touch, get at with a blow, to hit in tilting; = ATTAIN v. 1. Obs.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccclxv. 597. The seconde course they met and ataynted. Ibid., II. clxviii. [clxiv.] 470. They ran togider, and tainted eche other on ye helmes.
1530. Palsgr., 439/2. I atteynt, I hyt or touche a thyng, Jattayngs. He attaynted hym upon the myddes of the helmet.
† 2. To get at the facts, find out, ascertain; = ATTAIN v. 9. Obs.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., IV. xiii. 266. The causes that ben obscure and hidd may be therby attainted and knowen.
II. To convict, prove, accuse, condemn.
† 3. To convict, prove guilty. Obs.
c. 1340. Cursor M. (Fairf.), 5512. Ȝou be-houys to wirke ful quaynte and in þaire dedis ham attaynt.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 16. Atteyntyn, Convinco.
1499. Plumpton, Corr., 141. Parkin Warbek and other iij were arreyned … They all were attended, and judgment given.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., IV. 79. That the accused be … upon sufficient proof attainted of some open act by men of his own condition.
† 4. To prove (a charge). Obs.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 21. Gif it be otherwaies attainted (or proven).
† 5. Old Law. To convict a jury of having given a false verdict; to bring an action to reverse the verdict of a jury as false. Obs.
[1292. Britton, IV. ix. § 4. Se il avent qe les jurours de acune petite assise eynt fet … faus serment … purrount il estre atteintz en plusours maneres.
1865. Nichols, transl., If it happens that the jurors in any petty assise have taken a false oath, they may … be attainted in several ways.]
1528. Perkins, Prof. Bk., v. § 383 (1642), 166. Before that this verdict be attainted by the heire in a writ of attaint.
1667. E. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. III. viii. (1743), 194. The Punishment of Petty-Jurors attainted of giving a verdict contrary to evidence, wittingly, is severe.
6. To condemn (one convicted of treason or felony) to death, corruption of blood, and extinction of all civil rights and capacities; to subject to ATTAINDER, whether by judicial sentence, or by Act of Parliament without a judicial trial. (Influenced by its erroneously assumed relation to TAINT, whence the idea of ‘corruption of blood.’)
c. 1340. Cursor M. (Fairf.), 1114. He þat flemed first adam … he … sal caym sone a-taynt.
1473. Warkw., Chron., 1. A parleament, at whiche were atteynted Kynge Herry and all othere that fledde with hym.
1551. T. Wilson, Logike, 16. All such as use deceipt in bargayning … and shalbe atteinted thereupon as fellones.
c. 1670. Hobbes, Dial. Com. Laws. (1681), 182. To be attainted is, that his Blood be held in Law as stained and corrupted.
1704. Lond. Gaz., No. 4013/4. Edward Patchell … attainted of Murther in the City of Chester.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 31. Do they mean to attaint and disable backwards all the kings that have reigned before the Revolution, and consequently to stain the throne of England with the blot of a continued usurpation?
1844. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., xiii. (1861), 195. In 1461, on Edward IV.’s victory, they [Parliament] unanimously attainted Henry IV., and all his adherents.
7. To accuse of crime or dishonor. arch. (Also in OF.)
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., 227. How processe ought to proceede against those that are attainted of it [i.e., adultery], and how such as are convicted thereof are to be punished.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 24. Gif any man … salbe attaynted and convict of such alienation.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, II. xv. 265. Rebecca … being attainted of sorcery … doth deny the same.
1883. Howell, Undisc. Country, I. 71. Who are you to attaint me of unworthy motives?
III. To lay hold of (as sickness), affect, infect.
8. To touch, strike, or seize upon, as a disease or other bodily or mental affection; to affect.
[a. 1400. Cov. Myst. (1841), 223. If dedly syknes have you ateynt.]
c. 1534. trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (1846), I. 199. Ethelwolphus … was attainted with an easie sicknes.
1591. Greene, Maiden’s Dr. (1861), 277. And like to one whom sorrow deep attaints.
1598. Hist. Parismus, I. (1661), 267. Which sight attainted her heart with such grief.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 561. His foule disease, continually attainting him with intolerable paines.
1688. Dryden, Brit. Rediv., 175. The same shivering sweat his lord attaints.
† 9. (Influenced by TAINT): To affect with any contagion; to infect. Obs.
c. 1525. Skelton, Col. Clout, 902. They be so attaynted With coveytous and ambycyon.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), II. 102. That he suld fall in Pelagius heresyis; howbeit all othir Scottis kingis afore him war nevir attentit with sic thingis.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. v. 81. My tender youth was neuer yet attaint With any passion of inflaming loue.
1631. Bp. Webbe, Pract. Quietnesse (1657), 84. If thou be attainted with any of these evil properties.
10. (In full sense of TAINT): To touch or impregnate with something corrupting; to infect with corruption, poison, etc.
1580. [see ATTAINTED 4].
1608. J. King, Serm. 1 Chron. xxix. 26–8, 23. Dead flies wil atteint the swetest ointments of Apothecaries.
1645. Quarles, Sol. Recant., xii. 77. When secret Vlcers shall attaint thy breath.
1849. De Quincey, Mail Coach, Wks. IV. 290. Even to have kicked an outsider might have been held to attaint the foot.
b. fig. To sully (luster, purity, etc.).
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. vii. 35. Phoebus golden face it did attaint, As when a cloud his beames doth over-lay. Ibid., IV. i. 5. Lest she with blame her honour should attaint.
1718. Pope, Iliad, VI. 564. How would the sons of Troy … Attaint the lustre of my former name?
1856. Milman, in Q. Rev., XCIX. 6. No breath of calumny ever attainted the personal purity of Savonarola.
11. (Blending the preceding with fig. use of 7.)
1642. Milton, Apol. Smect. (1851), 288. Wherein a good name hath bin wrongfully attainted.
1815. Southey, Roderick, VIII. 15. His mother’s after-guilt attainting not the claim legitimate he derived from her.
