tarnish

Everyday

1. To tarnish is when metal like silver, brass or copper loses its shine and gets dull or dark, because of the air. tree →
2. To tarnish someone's name or reputation is to make people think less well of them. tree →
3. (noun) Tarnish is the dull, dark layer that forms on metal. tree →

In the lessons

In science, tarnishing is a chemical change: silver reacts with sulphur in the air and goes black; copper goes green over time (like the Statue of Liberty). Pupils clean coins with vinegar and salt to see tarnish come off. In stories and news, «tarnished reputation» means people trust someone less after something bad. Phrases: «tarnished silver», «tarnish a reputation», «polish off the tarnish».

Examples

• Grandma's silver spoons have tarnished. tree →
• We cleaned the tarnished pennies with vinegar and salt. tree →
• The brass doorknob is covered in tarnish. tree →
• Cheating tarnished the team's good name. tree →
• Gold does not tarnish easily. tree →
• The scandal tarnished the king's reputation. tree →
• The old woman returned in the night and knew by the tarnished thread what had happened in her absence. tree →

Note

Third person: «it tarnishes». The noun «tarnish» is uncountable. Gold hardly tarnishes; that is one reason it is valued. Tarnishing is not exactly rust: rust is iron going orange-brown.