Blemish

v. t. [imp. & p. p. BLEMISHED; p. pr. & vb. n. BLEMISHING.] [O. Fr. blemir, blesmir, to strike, injure, to soil, bleme, blesme, pale, wan, N. Fr. blémir, to grow pale, from Icel. blámi, a bluish color, from blár, blue, so that O. Fr. blemir properly signifies to beat one (black and) blue, and to render blue or dirty.]

1Sense 1. To mark with deformity; to injure or impair, as any thing which is well formed, or excellent; to mar, or make defective, either the body or mind.

Sin is a soil which blemisheth the beauty of thy soul. Brathwaite.

His composure must be rare indeed, Whom these things can not blemish. Shak.

2Sense 2. To tarnish, as reputation or character; to defame.

There had nothing passed between us that might blemish reputation. Oldys.

n. Any mark of deformity, whether physical or moral; any thing that diminishes beauty, or renders imperfect that which is well formed; that which impairs reputation. “The blemish of his prose.” Macaulay. The reliefs of an envious man are those little blemishes and imperfections that discover themselves in an illustrious character. Spectator. Syn. — Spot; speck; flaw; deformity; stain; defect; fault; taint; reproach; dishonor; imputation; turpitude; disgrace.