taint with

taint (something) with (something)

1. To expose something to or contaminate something with some substance or agent that is infectious, toxic, or otherwise dangerous or unpleasant. He has been arrested for tainting the water supply with a nerve agent. They have been forced to recall nearly 3 million tons of canned tomatoes that may have been tainted with botulin.

2. To spoil, ruin, or degrade something positive with the presence or introduction of something terrible, tragic, or deeply unpleasant. Often used in passive constructions. You may have won, but your victory is tainted with blood of thousands of innocent people. He is tainting an otherwise incredible career with this scandalous behavior.

See also: taint

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

taint something with something

to spoil or debase something with something. The flood tainted the drinking water with disease germs. The food had been tainted with germs.

See also: taint

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.