At-tāin'der, n.
n. [O. Fr. attaindre, to accuse, to stain, N. Fr. attaindre, to reach or come to, Lat. attingere. See ATTAIN.]
Sense 1. A staining, corruption, or rendering impure.
He lived from all attainder of suspect. Shak.
Sense 2. (Com. Law.) The stain, forfeiture, and corruption of blood which followed on being condemned for certain crimes. A bill of attainder was a bill brought into parliament for attaining persons condemned for high treason.
Upon the thorough demonstration of which guilt by legal attainder the feudal covenant is broken. Blackstone.
By the constitution of the United States, no bill of attainder shall be passed; and no attainder of treason (in consequence of a judicial sentence) shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attainted.
Sense 3. The act of attaining.
An act was made for the attainder of several persons. Encyc.