[ad. F. terniss-, extended stem of ternir, ternissant (15th c. in Godef.) (see -ISH2), f. terne adj. dull, dark; of doubtful origin.
Referred by Diez and others to OHG. tarnan, MHG. ternen (= OS. dernjan, OE. diernan) to conceal, hide, f. OHG. tarni (OS. derni, OE. dierne, denre) hidden, secret, obscure. But there are difficulties, arising from the late appearance of the Fr. word, as well as from the form and sense. The change from tern- to tarn- appears to have taken place in English; but no example of ternish has been found.)
1. trans. To dull or dim the luster of, to discolor (as a metallic surface by oxidation, etc.); to cause to fade; to spoil, wither.
1598. Florio, Ternire, to tarnish, to darken any glasse with breathing vpon it [1611 to tarnish or darken and mist-ouer, as burnished plate or glasse will be being breathed vpon].
1709–10. Addison, Tatler, No. 121, ¶ 1. Her Clothes were very rich, but tarnished.
1726. Adv. Capt. R. Boyle (1768), 103. The Sun’s tarnishing my Complexion.
1858. Lardner, Hand-bk. Nat. Philos., etc., 367. Whatever tarnishes or roughens the surface of metal, increases its radiation.
b. fig. To take away from the purity of, cast a stain upon; to sully, taint; to bring disgrace upon.
1697. Collier, Ess., II. Value of Life (1698), 31. Nothing that may … tarnish the Glory, and weaken the Example of the Suffering.
1786. W. Thomson, Watson’s Philip III. (1839), 355. Unwilling that his reputation should be tarnished.
1884. L. J. Jennings, Croker Papers, I. ii. 44. The naval glory of England was tarnished by the successes of the American naval force.
2. intr. To grow dull, dim, or discolored; to fade, wither; esp. of metals, to lose external brightness or luster.
1678. Phillips (ed. 4), s.v., Any thing that is Gilded, is said to Tarnish, when it begins to lose its Luster [1706 to grow dull, to lose its Gloss, Lustre, or Brightness].
1696. Tate & Brady, Ps. cii. 27. And, like a Garment often worn Shall tarnish and decay.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 35, ¶ 9. The brass and pewter … are only laid up to tarnish again.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 75. Many metals rapidly rust or tarnish when exposed to even the driest air.
b. fig. To become dull, dim, or sullied.
1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., 249. Till thy fresh glories, which now shine so bright, Grow stale, and tarnish with our daily sight.
1789. Mrs. Piozzi, Journ. France, II. 102. Travellers who seek for images that never tarnish, and for truths that never can decay.
1810. Splendid Follies, II. 95. The frailties of your nature predominated the glare of your riches,… from that hour they tarnished.
Hence Tarnishing vbl. sb. and ppl. a.; also Tarnishable a., that may tarnish or be tarnished; Tarnisher, one who or that which tarnishes.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Tarnishing, a process of giving gold or silver a pale or dim cast, without either polish or burnish.
1864. Webster, Tarnisher.
1885. Proc. Roy. Soc., 7 May, 340. A means of rendering tarnishable metals and alloys less tarnishable.
1894. Du Maurier, Trilby, II. 22. A tarnishing breath had swept over the reminiscent mirror of his mind.
