Attaint word meaning and definition

[verb] condemn by attainder
[verb] bring dishonor upon

\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.] 2. (Old Law) To find guilty; to convict; -- said esp. of a jury on trial for giving a false verdict. [Obs.] Upon sufficient proof attainted of some open act by men of his own condition. --Blackstone. 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. 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. 4. To accuse; to charge with a crime or a dishonorable act. [Archaic] 5. To affect or infect, as with physical or mental disease or with moral contagion; to taint or corrupt. My tender youth was never yet attaint With any passion of inflaming love. --Shak. 6. To stain; to obscure; to sully; to disgrace; to cloud with infamy. For so exceeding shone his glistring ray, That Ph?bus' golden face it did attaint. --Spenser. Lest she with blame her honor should attaint. --Spenser.
\At*taint"\, p. p. Attainted; corrupted. [Obs.] --Shak.
\At*taint"\, n. [OF. attainte. See {Attaint}, v.] 1. A touch or hit. --Sir W. Scott. 2. (Far.) A blow or wound on the leg of a horse, made by overreaching. --White. 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. 4. A stain or taint; disgrace. See {Taint}. --Shak. 5. An infecting influence. [R.] --Shak.

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