Forms as in vb.; also 6 atteinct. [a. OF. ateinte, atainte, sb. from fem. of ateint, pa. pple. of ateindre; see ATTAINT ppl. a.]
1. The act of touching or hitting; spec. a ‘hit’ in tilting. arch.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. clxviii. (clxiv.) 473. The first course, they strake eche other on their helmes a great attaynt.
1600. Chapman, Iliad, XVII. 6. Nor to pursue his first attaint Euphorbus’ spirit forbore.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, ix. Both the others failed in the attaint. Ibid. (1820), Monast. (1867), 458/1, note. Attaint was a term of tilting used to express the champion’s having attained his mark; or in other words, struck his lance straight and fair against the helmet or breast of his adversary.
† 2. fig. A dint, a blow (of misfortune, etc.). Obs. [Cf. Fr. les atteintes de la mauvaise fortune, etc.]
1655. J. Jennings, Elise, Epist. Ded. Generous hearts laugh at the attaints of fortune.
3. Vet. Surgery. A blow or wound on the leg of a horse caused by over-reaching, or by a blow from another horse’s foot.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., 113. Atteynt is a sorance, that commeth of an ouer-rechynge, yf it be before; and if it be behynde, it is of the tredynge of an other horse.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 313. Of an upper Attaint or over-reach upon the back sinew of the shanke.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The farriers distinguish upper attaints given by the toe of the hindfoot upon the sinew of the fore-leg, and nether attaints, or over-reachers, on the pastern-joint.
4. Old Law. The conviction of a jury for giving a false verdict; a legal process instituted for reversing a false verdict and convicting the jurors.
This was done by a grand jury of twenty-four; ‘for the law wills not that the oath of one jury of twelve men should be attainted or set aside by an equal number, or by less indeed than double the number.’ (Bracton, in Tomlins.)
[1292. Britton, IV. xi. § 1 (title), Ou gist Atteynte.
1865. Nichols, transl., In what cases an attaint lies.]
1528. Perkins, Prof. Bk., v. § 383 (1642), 166. The heire hath defeated the verdict by attaint.
1577. Harrison, England, I. II. iv. (1877), 101. Now and then the honest yeomen … shall be sued of an atteinct and bound to appeare at the Starre chamber.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 351. Another species of extraordinary juries, is the jury to try an attaint; which is a process commenced against a former jury, for bringing in a false verdict.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), II. viii. 31. The ancient remedy, by means of attaint, which renders a jury responsible for an unjust verdict, was almost gone into disuse.
5. = ATTAINDER.
1603. Drayton, Heroic. Ep., vi. 140. Those great Lords, now after their Attaints, Canonized amongst the English Saints.
1692. Beverley, Concil. Disc., 7. The Court of Honour, where Attaints are purg’d off, and Blood, as they speak, restor’d.
6. fig. Imputation or touch of dishonor, stain upon honor, luster, purity or freshness.
1592. Daniel, Compl. Rosamond (1717), 38. Her Legend justifies her foul Attaint.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., lxxxii. Thou … maiest without attaint o’re-looke The dedicated words.
a. 1850. Rossetti, Dante & Circle, I. (1874), 197. Among the faults … Are two so grave that some attaint is brought Unto the greatness of his soul thereby.
a. 1850. Jeffrey, in Ld. Cockburn, Lett., II. ccx. I have faith in races, and feel that your blood will resist such attaints.
† 7. ? Exhaustion, weariness, fatigue. Cf. ATTAINT a. 3. Obs.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. Cho. 39. Nor doth he dedicate one iot of Colour Vnto the wearie and all-watched Night; But freshly lookes, and ouerbeares Attaint, With cheareful semblance. [Perh. here = stain upon freshness.]
