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Entry 4 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Tarnish

/tär'-nĭsh/ · Tar·nish · IPA /ˈtɑɹnɪʃ/
01 v. t. To soil, or change the appearance of, especially by an alternation induced by the air, or by dust, or the like; to diminish, dull, or destr…
imp. & p. p. Tarnished; p. pr. & vb. n. Tarnishing
  1. 1.
    To soil, or change the appearance of, especially by an alternation induced by the air, or by dust, or the like; to diminish, dull, or destroy the luster of; to sully; as, to tarnish a metal; to tarnish gilding; to tarnish the purity of color.
Syn. To sully; stain; dim.
02 v. i. To lose luster; to become dull; as, gilding will tarnish in a foul air.
  1. 1.
    To lose luster; to become dull; as, gilding will tarnish in a foul air.
    “Till thy fresh glories, which now shine so bright, Grow stale and tarnish with our daily sight.” — Dryden.
03 n. The quality or state of being tarnished; stain; soil; blemish.
  1. 1.
    The quality or state of being tarnished; stain; soil; blemish.
  2. 2.
    A thin film on the surface of a metal, usually due to a slight alteration of the original color; as, the steel tarnish in columbite.(Min.)