Meaning & use
to stain
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Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
To leave a colored mark on something that is hard to remove.
Grammar: Can take an object (The juice stained the carpet) or stand alone (This fabric stains easily).
Patterns
- stain something
- stain something with something
- something stains easily
Be careful with that sauce — it will stain your shirt.
The red wine stained the tablecloth, and we could not wash it out.
Her fingers were stained with ink after the exam.
verbtransitive
To change the color of wood or cloth on purpose using a special liquid.
Grammar: Takes an object: stain the wood, stain the fabric.
Patterns
- stain something
- stain something a color
They stained the old table a dark brown to match the chairs.
You should stain the deck before winter comes.
He stained the cloth blue using a natural dye.
nouncountable
A colored mark on something that is difficult to remove.
Grammar: Countable: a stain, two stains, some stains.
Patterns
- a stain on something
- remove a stain
- leave a stain
There is a coffee stain on your notebook.
She used vinegar to get the stain out of the carpet.
The mechanic's shirt was covered in oil stains.
nouncountable or uncountable
A liquid used to change the color of wood or other materials.
Grammar: Can be countable (a wood stain) or uncountable (apply stain).
Patterns
- wood stain
- apply stain
- a coat of stain
We bought a can of wood stain for the shelves.
The stain gives the pine a warmer color.
Let the stain dry before you add the varnish.
Word forms
| third person singular | stains |
|---|---|
| past tense | stained |
| past participle | stained |
| -ing form | staining |
| plural | stains |
Common combinations
- stain something with something
- She stained her blouse with blueberry juice.
- remove a stain
- This spray removes stains from upholstery.
- leave a stain
- The wet glass left a stain on the wood.
- wood stain
- We chose a light wood stain for the floor.
- stain easily
- Light-colored cotton stains easily.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mark
- A mark is any visible spot or line; a stain is specifically a colored mark left by liquid or dirt and is usually harder to remove.
- spot
- A spot is a small round mark; a stain can be any size and often spreads into the material.
- dye
- Dye is used mainly for coloring cloth or hair; stain is used more for wood and for accidental marks.
Word family
- stained adjective
- Covered with marks that are hard to remove, as in a stained shirt.
- stainless adjective
- Not likely to stain or rust, as in stainless steel.
- staining noun
- The act or result of leaving colored marks, as in staining on the walls.
Commonly confused: to stain or stay? to stain or stein?
to stain vs stay
Stay means to remain in a place; stain means to leave a colored mark. They sound similar but have completely different meanings.
to stain vs stein
A stein is a large beer mug; stain is a mark or a coloring liquid.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'stain' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Stain something with something' is the correct pattern, so 'with ink' fits. 'To ink' and 'for ink' do not express the substance that caused the mark, and 'of ink' is not used with 'stain' in this way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to stain”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.