Also 6–7 staine, stayne, 7 steine, steigne. [f. STAIN v.]
† 1. The action of staining; pollution, disgrace.
1563. Googe, Cupido Eglog,s etc. (Arb.), 114. Vnhappy wretche that wolde Haue forced the Ladye of this forte with stayne of Royaltie To haue consented to his wyll in fylthye Lecherye.
1587. Greene, Euphues, Wks. (Grosart), VI. 174. The staine of the one did ad a disgrace to the glorie of the other.
1607. Shaks., Timon, V. i. 176. Giuing our holy Virgins to the staine Of contumelious, beastly … warre.
2. A discoloration produced by absorption of or contact with foreign matter; usually, one that penetrates below the surface and is not easily removable.
1583. L. M[ascall], Prof. Bk., 12. A good way to helpe all staynes in thinne silkes and woollen clothe.
1592. Arden of Feversham, II. ii. 113. Seest thou this goare that cleaueth to my face? From hence nere will I wash this bloody staine, Til Ardens hart be panting in my hand.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., II. iii. 75. Lo here vpon thy cheeke the staine doth sit, Of an old teare that is not washt off yet.
c. 1610. Beaum. & Fl., Philaster, V. i. [iii]. May their false lights … discover presses, holes, stains, and oldness in their Stuffs.
1687. A. Lovell, Thevenot’s Trav., I. 53. If by mischance Wine should be shed upon their cloaths, the greatest Drunkard that is, endeavours to get out the stain.
1798. Ferriar, Illustr. Sterne, iii. 57. He should produce the portrait … with all the stains and mouldiness of the last century.
1849. Cupples, Green Hand, xx. (1856), 193. Rusty stains at her hawse-holes.
1856. ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Rural Sports, I. I. i. § 4. 4/2. The coops ought to be moved daily, as the stain of the birds is injurious to them.
1877. ‘Rita,’ Vivienne, II. iii. I have not even waited to remove the stains and dust of my long journey before coming to see you.
b. A mark or discoloration on the skin; a blotch or sore.
1595. Shaks., John, III. i. 45. If thou … wert grin Vgly … Full of vnpleasing blots, and sightlesse staines,… Patch’d with foule Moles … I would not care. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., II. iv. 139. You do remember This staine [a mole] vpon her?
1819. Shelley, Cenci, IV. i. 130. Let her food be Poison, until she be encrusted round with leprous stains!
1845. Budd, Dis. Liver, 144. This [jaundice] had lessened a good deal, but there was still a light yellow stain of the skin.
1898. J. Hutchinson, in Arch. Surg., IX. 334. I make him undress, and find him covered on limbs and trunk with blotches and papules and stains.
c. Agric. A spot (in an ear of corn) produced by mildew or damp.
1731. in 6th Rep. Dep. Kpr. Publ. Rec., App. II. 119. A new Machine for cleaning Wheat … contrived to take away the stains, smut bags, and other trumpery.
d. transf. A spot or patch of color different from the ground. Common in Nat. Hist.
In fine stain: said of garden flowers with the characteristic markings finely shown.
1704. Pope, Windsor For., 145. Swift trouts, diversified with crimson stains.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 412, ¶ 5. Those different Stains of Light that shew themselves in Clouds of a different Situation.
1784. Cowper, Task, VI. 241. Not a flow’r But shows some touch, in freckle, streak, or stain, Of his unrivall’d pencil.
1842. Florist’s Jrnl. (1846), III. 130. In the bed were several Claudianas in very fine stain.
1860. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., VI. x. § 25 V. 103. The gathering orange stain upon the edge of yonder western peak.
1890. R. Bridges, Shorter Poems, v. Larks. They In sunlight swim; above the furthest stain Of cloud attain.
† e. fig. A slight trace or tinge of. Obs.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, I. i. 123. You haue some staine of souldier in you. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., I. ii. 27. There is no man hath a vertue, that he hath not a glimpse of, nor any man an attaint, but he carries some staine of it.
f. Hunting. = FOIL sb.4 (Cf. STAIN v. 4 d.)
1832. Q. Rev., XLVII. 238. A short check from the stain of sheep makes everything comfortable; and, the Squire having hit off his fox like a workman, thirteen men [etc.].
3. fig. (Often in phrases like to wash, purge a stain.) a. A morally defiling effect on the character or conscience; a grave blemish on a person’s reputation; a mark of infamy or disgrace, a stigma.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. v. 42. Thy Fathers charge shal cleare thee from yt staine. Ibid. (1593), Lucr., 1701. How may this forced staine be wip’d from me?
1598. R. Bernard, trans. Terence, Phormio, V. ii. Studying to avoid the staine of niggardlines.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 525. A right ancient race of the Digbyes, which … hath now caught a deepe steine by Sir Everard Digby drawne into that cursed crew.
c. 1610. Women Saints, 55. Washing away the staynes of secular pleasures with flouds of teares.
1632. Milton, Penseroso, 26. His daughter she (in Saturns raign, Such mixture was not held a stain).
1640. Nabbes, Unfort. Mother, IV. G 1. A truth cleere as the innocence Of babes: after the holy ceremony Hath purg’d th’ originall staine.
1781. Cowper, Expost., 74. Till penitence had purg’d the public stain.
1800. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T., Pruss. Vase (1816), I. 224. No stain affixes to his honour from the accusation.
1838. G. P. R. James, Robber, v. He would never speak so boldly and so tenderly of his mother, if there were any stain upon her name.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), IV. xviii. 143. The probable stain on their birth could hardly be thrown in their teeth in the days of William the bastard.
1882. J. H. Blunt. Ref. Ch. Eng., II. 484. But the stain of blood could not be washed out.
b. A person or thing that causes disgrace. Now rare or Obs.
1589. Nashe, Anat. Absurd., Wks. (Grosart), I. 35. To send them to some other mechanicall Arte, that they might not thus be the staine of Arte.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. i. 45. Staine to thy countrymen, thou hear’st thy doom.
1598. Brandon, Octavia, II. C 5. Stain of thy sexe, thy poisoned speech surcease.
1602. Fulbecke, Pandectes, vi. 31 b. Antiphon that vicious varlet, and steigne of Athens.
1649. Davenant, Love & Honour, III. ii. 85. Hence from my sight, Thou birth ill gotten, and my marriage stain.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XVIII. 4. A surly vagrant…, The stain of manhood.
† c. One who eclipses or casts into the shade.
[a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, I. xiv. (1912), 95. Hereby I will … lead her that is the prayse, and yet the staine of all womankinde.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 9. Staine to all Nimphs, more louely then a man.
1605. Earl Stirling, Alexandr. Trag., III. ii. My sonne that was the glorie of his time, Staine of times past, and light of times to come.
† 4. Her. (See quot.; and see STAINAND a.). Obs.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, I. 163. Notwithstanding I do with the french men, condemne the two last colours: that is to say, Tawney and sanguine, as no colours. But we will vouchsafe, to haue them called staines.
5. Glass-painting. (See quot. 1832.)
1832. G. R. Porter, Porcelain & Gl., xiv. 298. There are only three colours, strictly speaking, which can be floated on, and which are called stains, to distinguish them from others which must be laid on by the strokes of a brush. These stains are orange, red, and lemon-yellow. Ibid. Orange stain…. In floating this stain upon the glass, a large camel-hair pencil … must be used.
1838. Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl., I. 156/1. The stains are then put in, with the lights and shadows in enamel, and again passed through the fire.
6. A dye or coloring matter used in staining. a. A liquid preparation used to color wood, etc., differing from paint in being thinner, and in being absorbed into the pores of the material instead of forming a coating. (See also quot. 1880.)
1758. [Dossie], Handmaid Arts, 435. A bright red stain for wood.
1875. E. A. Davidson, House-painting, etc. 364. The stain is to be applied with a sponge or large brush.
1880. Cooley’s Cycl. Pract. Receipts (ed. 6), II. 1552. Stains, Confectioner’s. Ibid. These stains are also used for cakes and pastry.
1895. Eleanor Rowe, Chip-carving, 73. Should a very large quantity of the stain be required it would be cheaper to purchase the colours in powders. Ibid., 74. French polish must be used for oil-stains, but for water-stains … wax and turpentine are simpler.
b. A dye or pigment used to render minute and transparent structures visible, or to differentiate tissue elements by coloring, for microscopic observations; or to produce specific microchemical reactions.
1880. Gibbes, Histol., 23. Some tissues take in the stain very rapidly, others slowly.
1881. W. B. Carpenter, Microscope, § 202 (ed. 6), 248. A good blue stain … is also given by the substance termed Indigo-Carmine.
1900–13. Dorland, Med. Dict. (ed. 7), 893/2. Anilin blue-black, an anilin dye used as a stain for the study of the central nervous system.
7. attrib. and Comb. as in stain reaction, -spot; stain-bemoaned adj.; † stain-cloth = STAINED cloth.
a. 1711. Ken, Hymnarium, Poet. Wks. 1721, II. 79. Before the judge enthron’d, Plead my Guilt, self-condemn’d, and *stain-bemoan’d.
1547. in Archæol. Cant. (1874), IX. 226. Item rec. of James Lake for a *stayne clothe that he bought, xvjd. Item rec. of John Sharpe for iij stayne clothes that he bought, xvjd.
1553–4. in Swayne, Sarum Churchw. Acc. (1896), 98. Mr. Shorte for a stayne cloth iiijd.
1839. Penny Cycl., XV. 428/2. The effect of it [mosaic] may be obtained, and the beauty of its patterns produced, in stain-cloth flooring.
1898. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., V. 413. *Stain reactions of the blood in diabetes.
a. 1670. Hacket, Life Abp. Williams (1693), I. 159. But rip up all his Actions … shew any *Stain-Spot in his Fidelity.
