Word a Day
stain
What does stain mean?
stain (verb): to discolor, as by spilling or other contact with a fluid or substance.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you pronounce stain?
/steɪn/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does stain come from?
From Middle English steinen, steynen (“to stain, colour, paint”), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse steina (“to stain, colour, paint”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “stain”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “stain” mean?
to promote the development of something; to cultivate and grow a thing
Not quite: that's what foster means.
make something new, such as a product or a mental or artistic creation
Not quite: that's what develop means.
to discolor, as by spilling or other contact with a fluid or substance
Right! That's what “stain” means.
to pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty
Not quite: that's what drag means.
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