"besmirch" meaning in English

See besmirch in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/ [Received-Pronunciation], /bɪˈsmɝːt͡ʃ/ [General-American] Audio: en-us-besmirch.ogg , en-au-besmirch.ogg Forms: besmirches [present, singular, third-person], besmirching [participle, present], besmirched [participle, past], besmirched [past]
Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)tʃ Etymology: From Middle English besmorchen (attested in besmorchid), equivalent to be- + smirch. Compare Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”). Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|besmorchen}} Middle English besmorchen, {{pre|en|be|smirch}} be- + smirch, {{cog|enm|bismotered|t=bespattered, soiled}} Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”) Head templates: {{en-verb}} besmirch (third-person singular simple present besmirches, present participle besmirching, simple past and past participle besmirched)
  1. (transitive, literary) To make dirty. Tags: literary, transitive Synonyms: soil Translations (make dirty): мърся (mǎrsja) (Bulgarian), омърсявам (omǎrsjavam) (Bulgarian), embrutar (Catalan), 弄髒 (Chinese Mandarin), 弄脏 (nòngzāng) (Chinese Mandarin), besmeuren (Dutch), liata (Finnish), salir (French), ensuciar (Galician), beschmutzen (German), beschmieren (German), λερώνω (leróno) (Greek), bemocskol (Hungarian), sporcare (Italian), insudiciare (Italian), lordare (Italian), insozzare (Italian), smerdare (Italian), tilskitne (Norwegian Bokmål), sujar (Portuguese), spurca (Romanian), па́чкать (páčkatʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), испа́чкать (ispáčkatʹ) [perfective] (Russian), загрязня́ть (zagrjaznjátʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), špiniť (Slovak), pošpiniť (Slovak), ensuciar (Spanish), бруднити (brudnyty) (Ukrainian), замазувати (zamazuvaty) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-besmirch-en-verb-4V5i8FFu Categories (other): English terms prefixed with be- Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with be-: 46 54 Disambiguation of 'make dirty': 95 5
  2. (transitive) To tarnish something, especially someone's reputation. Tags: transitive Synonyms: debase, smear, slander, libel, blacken Translations (tarnish; debase): προσπηλακίζω (prospēlakízō) (Ancient Greek), петня (petnja) (Bulgarian), черня (černja) (Bulgarian), 浼污 (měiwū) (Chinese Mandarin), 污漫 (wūmàn) (Chinese Mandarin), bekladden (Dutch), bezoedelen (Dutch), liata (Finnish), salir (French), avilir (French), difamar (Galician), beschmutzen (German), besudeln (German), in Verruf bringen (German), σπιλώνω (spilóno) (Greek), gyaláz (Hungarian), denigrare (Italian), macchiare (Italian), insudiciare (Italian), lordare (Italian), besudle (Norwegian Bokmål), tilskitne (Norwegian Bokmål), conspurcar (Portuguese), macular (Portuguese), deslustrar (Portuguese), spurca (Romanian), пятна́ть (pjatnátʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), запятна́ть (zapjatnátʹ) [perfective] (Russian), черни́ть (černítʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), očierniť (Slovak), očierňovať (Slovak), pošpiniť (Slovak), špiniť (Slovak), znevážiť (Slovak), znevažovať (Slovak), manchar (Spanish), mancillar (Spanish), macular (Spanish), enlodar (Spanish), empañar (Spanish), befläcka (Swedish), чорни́ти (čornýty) (Ukrainian), ганьби́ти (hanʹbýty) (Ukrainian), плямува́ти (pljamuváty) (Ukrainian), зневажа́ти (znevažáty) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-besmirch-en-verb-pGEs-0PI Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms prefixed with be-, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Ancient Greek translations, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Catalan translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with Galician translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Romanian translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Slovak translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Swedish translations, Terms with Ukrainian translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 28 72 Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with be-: 46 54 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 29 71 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 20 80 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 17 83 Disambiguation of Terms with Ancient Greek translations: 20 80 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 15 85 Disambiguation of Terms with Catalan translations: 17 83 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 24 76 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 17 83 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 24 76 Disambiguation of Terms with Galician translations: 17 83 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 17 83 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 22 78 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 15 85 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 18 82 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 14 86 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations: 19 81 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 17 83 Disambiguation of Terms with Romanian translations: 17 83 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 18 82 Disambiguation of Terms with Slovak translations: 17 83 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 16 84 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 18 82 Disambiguation of Terms with Ukrainian translations: 17 83 Disambiguation of 'tarnish; debase': 9 91
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: besmircher, besmirchment, unbesmirch, unbesmirchable, unbesmirched

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "besmircher"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "besmirchment"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "unbesmirch"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "unbesmirchable"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "unbesmirched"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "besmorchen"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English besmorchen",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "be",
        "3": "smirch"
      },
      "expansion": "be- + smirch",
      "name": "pre"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "bismotered",
        "t": "bespattered, soiled"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English besmorchen (attested in besmorchid), equivalent to be- + smirch. Compare Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "besmirches",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "besmirching",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "besmirched",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "besmirched",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "besmirch (third-person singular simple present besmirches, present participle besmirching, simple past and past participle besmirched)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "46 54",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with be-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To make dirty."
      ],
      "id": "en-besmirch-en-verb-4V5i8FFu",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive, literary) To make dirty."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "soil"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "literary",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "mǎrsja",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "мърся"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "omǎrsjavam",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "омърсявам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "embrutar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "弄髒"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "nòngzāng",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "弄脏"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "besmeuren"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "liata"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "salir"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "ensuciar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "beschmutzen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "beschmieren"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "leróno",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "λερώνω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "bemocskol"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "sporcare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "insudiciare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "lordare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "insozzare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "smerdare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "tilskitne"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "sujar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "spurca"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "páčkatʹ",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "па́чкать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ispáčkatʹ",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "испа́чкать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "zagrjaznjátʹ",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "загрязня́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "špiniť"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "pošpiniť"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "ensuciar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "brudnyty",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "бруднити"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "zamazuvaty",
          "sense": "make dirty",
          "word": "замазувати"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "unbesmirch"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "28 72",
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            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
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        },
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          "_dis": "15 85",
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        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The newspaper was on a campaign to besmirch the actor.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To tarnish something, especially someone's reputation."
      ],
      "id": "en-besmirch-en-verb-pGEs-0PI",
      "links": [
        [
          "tarnish",
          "tarnish"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To tarnish something, especially someone's reputation."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "debase"
        },
        {
          "word": "smear"
        },
        {
          "word": "slander"
        },
        {
          "word": "libel"
        },
        {
          "word": "blacken"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "petnja",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "петня"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "černja",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "черня"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "měiwū",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "浼污"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "wūmàn",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "污漫"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "bekladden"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "bezoedelen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "liata"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "salir"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "avilir"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "difamar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "beschmutzen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "besudeln"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "in Verruf bringen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "spilóno",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "σπιλώνω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "roman": "prospēlakízō",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "προσπηλακίζω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "gyaláz"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "denigrare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "macchiare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "insudiciare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "lordare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "besudle"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "tilskitne"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "conspurcar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "macular"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "deslustrar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "spurca"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "pjatnátʹ",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "пятна́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "zapjatnátʹ",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "запятна́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "černítʹ",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "черни́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "očierniť"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "očierňovať"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "pošpiniť"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "špiniť"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "znevážiť"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "znevažovať"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "manchar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "mancillar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "macular"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "enlodar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "empañar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "befläcka"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "čornýty",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "чорни́ти"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "hanʹbýty",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "ганьби́ти"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "pljamuváty",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "плямува́ти"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 91",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "znevažáty",
          "sense": "tarnish; debase",
          "word": "зневажа́ти"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪˈsmɝːt͡ʃ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-besmirch.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f0/En-us-besmirch.ogg/En-us-besmirch.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/En-us-besmirch.ogg"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-besmirch.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/7/77/En-au-besmirch.ogg/En-au-besmirch.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/En-au-besmirch.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɜː(ɹ)tʃ"
    }
  ],
  "word": "besmirch"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms prefixed with be-",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)tʃ",
    "Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)tʃ/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Ancient Greek translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Catalan translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with Galician translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Romanian translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Slovak translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations",
    "Terms with Ukrainian translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "besmircher"
    },
    {
      "word": "besmirchment"
    },
    {
      "word": "unbesmirch"
    },
    {
      "word": "unbesmirchable"
    },
    {
      "word": "unbesmirched"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "besmorchen"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English besmorchen",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "be",
        "3": "smirch"
      },
      "expansion": "be- + smirch",
      "name": "pre"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "bismotered",
        "t": "bespattered, soiled"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English besmorchen (attested in besmorchid), equivalent to be- + smirch. Compare Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "besmirches",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "besmirching",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "besmirched",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "besmirched",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "besmirch (third-person singular simple present besmirches, present participle besmirching, simple past and past participle besmirched)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English literary terms",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To make dirty."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive, literary) To make dirty."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "soil"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "literary",
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "unbesmirch"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The newspaper was on a campaign to besmirch the actor.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To tarnish something, especially someone's reputation."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "tarnish",
          "tarnish"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To tarnish something, especially someone's reputation."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "debase"
        },
        {
          "word": "smear"
        },
        {
          "word": "slander"
        },
        {
          "word": "libel"
        },
        {
          "word": "blacken"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪˈsmɝːt͡ʃ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-besmirch.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f0/En-us-besmirch.ogg/En-us-besmirch.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/En-us-besmirch.ogg"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-besmirch.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/7/77/En-au-besmirch.ogg/En-au-besmirch.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/En-au-besmirch.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɜː(ɹ)tʃ"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "mǎrsja",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "мърся"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "omǎrsjavam",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "омърсявам"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "embrutar"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "弄髒"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "nòngzāng",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "弄脏"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "besmeuren"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "liata"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "salir"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "ensuciar"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "beschmutzen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "beschmieren"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "leróno",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "λερώνω"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "bemocskol"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "sporcare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "insudiciare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "lordare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "insozzare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "smerdare"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "tilskitne"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "sujar"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "spurca"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "páčkatʹ",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "па́чкать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ispáčkatʹ",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "испа́чкать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "zagrjaznjátʹ",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "загрязня́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "špiniť"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "pošpiniť"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "ensuciar"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "brudnyty",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "бруднити"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "zamazuvaty",
      "sense": "make dirty",
      "word": "замазувати"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "petnja",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "петня"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "černja",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "черня"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "měiwū",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "浼污"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "wūmàn",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "污漫"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "bekladden"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "bezoedelen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "liata"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "salir"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "avilir"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "difamar"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "beschmutzen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "besudeln"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "in Verruf bringen"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "spilóno",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "σπιλώνω"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "roman": "prospēlakízō",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "προσπηλακίζω"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "gyaláz"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "denigrare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "macchiare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "insudiciare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "lordare"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "besudle"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "tilskitne"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "conspurcar"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "macular"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "deslustrar"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "spurca"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "pjatnátʹ",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "пятна́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "zapjatnátʹ",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "запятна́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "černítʹ",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "черни́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "očierniť"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "očierňovať"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "pošpiniť"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "špiniť"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "znevážiť"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "znevažovať"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "manchar"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "mancillar"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "macular"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "enlodar"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "empañar"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "befläcka"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "čornýty",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "чорни́ти"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "hanʹbýty",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "ганьби́ти"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "pljamuváty",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "плямува́ти"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "znevažáty",
      "sense": "tarnish; debase",
      "word": "зневажа́ти"
    }
  ],
  "word": "besmirch"
}

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This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.