stain
gb/stˈeɪn/ us/stˈeɪn/
A2
English
~ 1800
folt, foltot hagy, befog, összeken, pácol, fest, szégyenfolt
NOUN
A2
1
folt
A2
Usage pattern:
a stain on [something]
There was a red wine stain on the carpet.
Vörösborfolt volt a szőnyegen.
The shirt had a stubborn grease stain.
Makacs zsírfolt volt az ingen.
She used soap to get rid of the coffee stain.
The tablecloth was ruined by sauce stains.
He noticed a dark stain on the wall.
Learner examples
I have a coffee stain on my shirt.
Kávéfolt van az ingemen.
There is a red stain on the floor.
Piros folt van a padlón.
My pants have a grass stain.
She tries to wash out the stain.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'stain' with 'paint' when talking about unwanted marks. 'Paint' refers to deliberate coloring, while 'stain' is usually accidental.
Meaning
a colored mark on something
Collocations
remove a stain
|blood stain
|coffee stain
|stubborn stain
|get a stain
Synonyms
spot (A small area of discoloration; can be more general than 'stain'.)
|
mark (A general term for something that changes the surface appearance; not always colored.)
Antonyms
cleanliness (The state of being free from marks or dirt.)
Themes
daily life
|cleaning
|appearance
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A mark of color that should not be there, made by something like food, drink, or dirt.
A patch or spot of discoloration that is noticeably different from the surrounding area, often caused by contact with a liquid, dirt, or other substance.
VERB
A2
2
Usage pattern:
to stain [something] with [something]
Be careful not to stain your shirt with that sauce.
Vigyázz, nehogy összekend az ingedet azzal a szósszal.
The ink stained her fingers.
A tinta befogta az ujjait.
The berries can easily stain your lips.
Rust has stained the metal fence.
He accidentally stained the carpet with paint.
Learner examples
Do not stain your new dress.
Ne hagyj foltot az új ruhádon.
The juice will stain the table.
A gyümölcslé foltot fog hagyni az asztalon.
I stained my pants with oil.
My hands are stained with ink.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'stain' with 'paint' in the sense of adding color deliberately; 'stain' here means unwanted marking unless referring to wood treatment.
Meaning
to cause a mark or discoloration
Collocations
stain clothes
|stain fabric
|easily stained
|permanently stained
Synonyms
soil (More formal or literary; often used for making something dirty in general.)
|
smudge (Implies a blurred or smeared mark, often less permanent than a stain.)
Antonyms
clean (To remove marks, dirt, or discoloration from something.)
Themes
daily life
|cleaning
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something dirty or change its color by getting something like food, drink, or ink on it.
To cause a surface or material to become marked or discolored by contact with a substance.
VERB
B1
3
Usage pattern:
to stain [material] [color]
We decided to stain the wooden deck dark brown.
Úgy döntöttünk, sötétbarnára pácoljuk a fateraszt.
The craftsman stained the table to bring out the grain.
Az asztalos azért pácolta be az asztalt, hogy kiemelje a fa erezetét.
You should sand the chair before staining it.
They stained the fence to protect it from weather damage.
Learner examples
I will stain the wood dark brown.
Sötétbarnára fogom pácolni a fát.
We stained the table to make it look new.
Azért pácoltuk be az asztalt, hogy újszerűnek tűnjön.
She stained the chair before selling it.
He stained the fence to keep it safe from rain.
Common mistake:
Learners might confuse this meaning with accidental staining; here it is deliberate and usually positive.
Meaning
to color material using a special liquid
Collocations
stain wood
|stain furniture
|darkly stained
Synonyms
dye (Often used for coloring fabrics; can be more general than 'stain'.)
Antonyms
bleach (To remove color from something, making it lighter or white.)
Themes
crafts
|home improvement
|daily_life
|work
Definition
To put color on wood, fabric, or another material using a special liquid to make it look better or darker.
To treat wood, fabric, or another material with a colored liquid to change its color or enhance its appearance.
NOUN
B2
4
folt
B2
szégyenfolt
B2
Usage pattern:
a stain on [someone's] reputation/character/honor
The scandal left a permanent stain on his career.
A botrány maradandó foltot hagyott a pályafutásán.
This incident is a stain on the company’s reputation.
Ez az eset folt a cég hírnevén.
Her actions were seen as a stain on her otherwise perfect record.
Learner examples
The crime was a stain on his name.
A bűncselekmény foltot ejtett a nevén.
It is a big stain on her career.
Ez komoly folt a pályafutásán.
The lie put a stain on his record.
Meaning
damage to someone's good name
Collocations
a stain on his career
|remove the stain of guilt
Synonyms
blemish (A small flaw that spoils an otherwise good record; slightly softer than 'stain' in this sense.)
|
taint (Carries a stronger sense of corruption or moral contamination.)
Antonyms
honor (High respect and esteem; free from shame or disgrace.)
Themes
reputation
|emotions
|relationships
|communication
Definition
Something that makes people think badly about someone’s good name or record.
A lasting negative effect on someone's reputation, character, or honor.
Grammar
Dictionary form
stain
IPA
GB/stˈeɪn/
US/stˈeɪn/
Syllables & stress
stain (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (stain)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: stain
- Plural: stain, stains
Verb
- Base: stain
- 3rd Person Singular: stains
- Present Participle: staining
- Past: stained
Word family
Forms
stains
noun
staining
verb
stained
verb
Negative and opposite forms
stainless
adjective A2
Expressions
a stain on one's character
1/ə stˈeɪn ˈɔn wˈʌnz kˈɛɹɪktɚ/
fixed phrase
a moral flaw affecting integrity
Something bad in someone’s past that makes people think they are less honest or good.
Examples
- His dishonesty during the trial was a stain on his character.
- The betrayal was considered a serious stain on her character.
remove a stain
1/ɹimˈuv ə stˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
to get rid of a mark or discoloration
To clean something so that the mark of color is gone.
Examples
- She used vinegar to remove the stain from the carpet.
- This spray can remove most food stains from clothes.
stain one's reputation
1/stˈeɪn wˈʌnz ɹˌɛpjətˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
to harm someone's reputation
To make people think badly about someone by damaging their good name.
Examples
- The false report stained his reputation for honesty.
- Her involvement in the fraud case stained her reputation permanently.