Attainting

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Attaint \At*taint"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Attainted}; p. pr. &
     vb. n. {Attainting}.] [OE. atteynten to convict, fr. atteynt,
     OF. ateint, p. p. of ateindre, ataindre. The meanings 3, 4,
     5, and 6 were influenced by a supposed connection with taint.
     See {Attain}, {Attainder}.]
     1. To attain; to get act; to hit. [Obs.]


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     2. (Old Law) To find guilty; to convict; -- said esp. of a
        jury on trial for giving a false verdict. [Obs.]
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              Upon sufficient proof attainted of some open act by
              men of his own condition.             --Blackstone.
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     3. (Law) To subject (a person) to the legal condition
        formerly resulting from a sentence of death or outlawry,
        pronounced in respect of treason or felony; to affect by
        attainder.
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              No person shall be attainted of high treason where
              corruption of blood is incurred, but by the oath of
              two witnesses.                        --Stat. 7 & 8
                                                    Wm. III.
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     4. To accuse; to charge with a crime or a dishonorable act.
        [Archaic]
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     5. To affect or infect, as with physical or mental disease or
        with moral contagion; to taint or corrupt.
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              My tender youth was never yet attaint
              With any passion of inflaming love.   --Shak.
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     6. To stain; to obscure; to sully; to disgrace; to cloud with
        infamy.
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              For so exceeding shone his glistring ray,
              That Ph?bus' golden face it did attaint. --Spenser.
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              Lest she with blame her honor should attaint.
                                                    --Spenser.
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