tarnished /ˈtɑːr.nɪʃt/ 是形容词或动词 tarnish 的过去分词形式,意为"失去光泽的;玷污的"。既可以指金属表面氧化变暗,也可以比喻名誉、形象等受到损害或玷污。
/ˈtɑːr.nɪʃt/
The old silver ring had become tarnished after years of neglect.
那枚旧银戒指因多年无人打理而失去了光泽。
His once-stellar reputation was tarnished by the scandal, and it took him decades to rebuild the trust he had lost.
他曾经卓越的声誉因丑闻而蒙上了污点,花了几十年才重新赢回失去的信任。
tarnish 源自中古法语 ternir,意为"使变暗、使失去光泽",其词根来自古法语 terne,意为"暗淡的、无光泽的"。该词最早进入英语是在15世纪末,最初专指金属表面因氧化而变色,后来逐渐引申为"损害名誉或形象"的比喻义。