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Stain (Noun)

The state of being covered with unclean things.

Nouns denoting natural processes.

She was mortified to discover a large stain on her white shirt after the messy lunch.
The city streets were covered in a stain of litter and grime that seemed impossible to clean.
After years of neglect, the once pristine floor was now a stain on the entire house.
The carpet had been ruined by a stubborn stain that refused to fade.
A stain of pollution had taken over the once crystal-clear lake, threatening the local wildlife.

An act that brings discredit to the person who does it; "he made a huge blot on his copybook".

Nouns denoting acts or actions.

The politician's involvement in the scandal proved to be a lasting stain on her reputation.
The company's failure to recall the defective product will forever be a stain on its record.
His dishonesty in business dealings left a permanent stain on his professional integrity.
The infamous scandal will remain a stain on the university's history for years to come.
The rumors of her past misconduct would be a difficult stain for the new CEO to overcome.

A symbol of disgrace or infamy; "And the Lord set a mark upon Cain"--Genesis.

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.

He was left with a permanent stain on his reputation after the scandal.
The court's decision was a stain on the justice system, many believed.
Her family's dark past was a stain that she carried with her always.
The politician's involvement in the corruption was a stain on his otherwise illustrious career.
The abuse of power was a stain on the country's human rights record.

A soiled or discolored appearance; "the wine left a dark stain".

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects.

The coffee spill left a stubborn stain on the carpet that was difficult to remove.
The red wine stain on her white shirt was a constant reminder of the accident.
The grease stain on the garage floor had been there for years and seemed impossible to clean.
The ink stain on the important document made it look unprofessional and careless.
The grass stain on the athlete's uniform was a testament to her tough and physical playing style.

(microscopy) a dye or other coloring material that is used in microscopy to make structures visible.

Nouns denoting substances.

The biologist applied a stain to the tissue sample in order to highlight the cellular structures for further study.
The hematoxylin and eosin stain is a commonly used combination in histological preparations to differentiate tissue components.
Using a fluorescent stain, the researcher was able to visualize the specific protein of interest in the cultured cells.
The acid-fast stain is particularly useful for identifying Mycobacterium species in sputum samples.
The Gram stain is a widely used technique in microbiology to classify bacteria into two main groups.