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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Stain(e, Stainȝe, Steinȝie, v. Also: stayn(e, stane, staene, steane, steayn(e, sten(e, stainyie, staingȝe, staynyie, steingyie, steynȝie, stenȝ(i)e, steniȝe, steayng(e, stinȝe. [ME and e.m.E. steyne(n (Wyclif), steyn (c1450), stayne (Caxton), stean (1566), stain(e (1589), stein (1675), aphetic. f. OF destaindre, desteindre (12th c. in Godefroy).]

1. tr. Of (a source of) light: To obscure or eclipse (another or lesser luminary). a1605 Montg. Sonn. xiii 1.
As bright Apollo staineth euiry star With goldin rayis, vhen he begins to ryse 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 54/231.
That fowle, whose grace, As Phœbus fowle, yet ward the sunne him sell. Her light his staind, whome in all light dois dwell

b. transf. Of anything: To outstrip, outshine, eclipse (another) (in (some respect)).(a) c1590 Fowler I 394/6.
Whois glorius deids doth steane the rest as costlie ston the glas 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 52/187.
That countray doeth so staine All realmes in fairnes 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 33/29.
Goddis iudgementis … In pretiousness the fynest golde thay staine(b) c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxiii 6.
The hinging lokkis that cummis from hir heid Dois staingȝe the grace and glorie of the gold

c. fig. To obscure or extinguish the lustre (of). 1596 Dalr. II 45/27.
O cruel creatures quha dang doune sa strang a stay … O detestable persounis, quha sa bricht a lycht blew out, stinȝeit sa honorable an ornament! c1670 M. Bruce Serm. (ed. Howie 1779) 216.
And thus our Lord stains the beauty of his people's idols … even by intercepting the light of his countenance and drawing a cloud of desertion betwixt him and their souls

2. intr. To lose colour, to discolour or become marred. a1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlviii 15.
My clayth will nocht stenȝie Suppois ȝe weit it nycht and day a1568 Jok & Jynny 60.
Ane gay grene cloke that will nocht stenȝe

3. tr. To blemish, discolour or mar (with dirt, blood, etc.), freq. in fig. context. Also absol. 1513 Doug. iii i 55.
The blak droppis of blude Distillit tharfra, that al the erth quhar it stude Was spottit of the fylth and stenyt 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. ix 6.
O spair In guiltles blood thy hands to stayne 1604-31 Craig v 29.
That no spaits of raine, No snowie showres, no partching sunne your statelie broydering staineabsol. 1650 Fugitive Poetry II xxiv 8/13.
When their Dread Soveraignes blood doth stayne And cries for Vengeance on the land(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 21/158 (B).
Bot fall in wo with Thé of every wound And every straik mak throw my hart a stound That evir did stenȝie [A. strenȝe, M. stryk, BD steniȝe] Thy fair flesche innocent 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. Prov. No. 186.
The cambrike is sooner steinȝied than the cours canuas

4. fig. a. active. Of a person or thing: To blemish, mar, inflict damage upon, also, to slander or libel (a person's reputation, etc., or, a person in respect of his reputation etc.). Also const. with (some means).(a) a1570-86 Maitl. F. 426/5.
Gif thow do nocht stane Thy trewthe and honestie … suirlie thow art frie 1570 Leslie 302.
The sclaunderis and calumnies quhairwith sum hes gone about to stane and blott hir honour 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xlii 1007.
All poetis, pardoun me, That wrait this of necessitie, And not to stane ȝour plesand style c1590 Fowler II 26/29.
If the mater war weil tryit … he wald be found … to staene the honnour of his chief magistrat, with sic outragious tyranie 1682 Lauder Observes 80.
It was also at this tyme … designed to stain him with briberie 1682 Lauder Observes App. iv 306.
He was of more noble extract then to stain his honor with so base an act(b) 1584 Reg. Privy C. III 702.
Thair fault … was not ane sufficient reasoun to blott and stainyie the gude word of God and haill ministerie(c) a1585 Maitl. Q. 116/101.
Sen ȝour giftis ar so greit That ȝe can haue no peir Bewar ȝe steinȝie thame not quyt With crueltie seueir a1605 Montg. Sonn. xii 14.
Peirles prince! thy cunning maks thé knoune; Ours helps not thyn: we steinȝie [1585 James VI Ess. 11, steynȝie] bot our aune 1586 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 455.
Any vther infamy that may steingyie or sclander his vocatioun 1605 Forbes Rec. 422.
All kynd of contempt that may steinȝie the puritie of your profession, and of your affauld concurs with us 1609 Crim. Trials II 572.
[They] haif … preissit by thair … lybellis … to steinȝie his maiesteis … perfyte and vnspotted reputatioun

b. passive. Of a person, his reputation: To suffer harm; to be blemished or marred by someone or something.(a) 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 58.
Quha nouther had in welth ony thing left to be loist, nor in his fame ony thing remaning that micht be staynit 1625 Fugitive Poetry II v 8/167.
Now my spotless faith, I plight thy Sonne, That never yet was Staynd, nor never wonne My mayden crowne, thy image he shall beare ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I 75.
He did assure them that he never was, nor, by God's grace, shall be, stained by popish superstitione 1683 Dundee B. Laws 554.
The leidges who are … wronged by his bad worke, … the petitioners, who are stained and abused thereby by straingers … who sees his wnsufficient work, imputs the blaime to the petitioners(b) c1590 Fowler II 29/33.
We are not of sa abiect mynde … that will be … stainȝit by thy calumnies 1603 Moysie 44.
Sua as the king mycht keip his awin honour and priuiledges and nawayis to be staynyied or preiudgit

c. intr. Of the conscience: To suffer blemishing or staining. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. ii 5.
Conscience stenȝies if he steill

5. tr. Of a person's lineage or blood : To be debased or corrupted. 1571 Bann. Memor. 150.
Thow art degenerat from the ancient stait of thy hous, and thy bloud steaynged [Trans. steayned] be matching of thy motheris father, … with a preistis dochter

6. To depict in colour. 1519 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 174.
Ane grite arres bed … with the kingis armes and bischoipe Willeam Elphinstonis stenȝeit be [blank]