From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Attaint \At*taint"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Attainted}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Attainting}.] [OE. atteynten to convict, fr. atteynt,
OF. ateint, p. p. of ateindre, ataindre. The meanings 3, 4,
5, and 6 were influenced by a supposed connection with taint.
See {Attain}, {Attainder}.]
1. To attain; to get act; to hit. [Obs.]
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2. (Old Law) To find guilty; to convict; -- said esp. of a
jury on trial for giving a false verdict. [Obs.]
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Upon sufficient proof attainted of some open act by
men of his own condition. --Blackstone.
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3. (Law) To subject (a person) to the legal condition
formerly resulting from a sentence of death or outlawry,
pronounced in respect of treason or felony; to affect by
attainder.
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No person shall be attainted of high treason where
corruption of blood is incurred, but by the oath of
two witnesses. --Stat. 7 & 8
Wm. III.
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4. To accuse; to charge with a crime or a dishonorable act.
[Archaic]
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5. To affect or infect, as with physical or mental disease or
with moral contagion; to taint or corrupt.
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My tender youth was never yet attaint
With any passion of inflaming love. --Shak.
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6. To stain; to obscure; to sully; to disgrace; to cloud with
infamy.
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For so exceeding shone his glistring ray,
That Ph?bus' golden face it did attaint. --Spenser.
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Lest she with blame her honor should attaint.
--Spenser.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Attaint \At*taint"\, p. p.
Attainted; corrupted. [Obs.] --Shak.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Attaint \At*taint"\, n. [OF. attainte. See {Attaint}, v.]
1. A touch or hit. --Sir W. Scott.
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2. (Far.) A blow or wound on the leg of a horse, made by
overreaching. --White.
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3. (Law) A writ which lies after judgment, to inquire whether
a jury has given a false verdict in any court of record;
also, the convicting of the jury so tried. --Bouvier.
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4. A stain or taint; disgrace. See {Taint}. --Shak.
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5. An infecting influence. [R.] --Shak.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
attaint
v 1: bring shame or dishonor upon; "he dishonored his family by
committing a serious crime" [syn: {dishonor}, {disgrace},
{dishonour}, {attaint}, {shame}] [ant: {honor}, {honour},
{reward}]
2: condemn by attainder; "the man was attainted"
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