What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Stain vs Dirt - What's the difference?

stain | dirt |

As nouns the difference between stain and dirt

is that stain is a discoloured spot or area while dirt is soil or earth.

As verbs the difference between stain and dirt

is that stain is to discolour something while dirt is to make foul or filthy; soil; befoul; dirty.

As an acronym DIRT is

Deposit Interest Retention Tax

stain

English

(wikipedia stain)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A discoloured spot or area.
  • A blemish on one's character or reputation.
  • A substance used to soak into a surface and colour it.
  • A reagent or dye used to stain microscope specimens so as to make some structures visible.
  • Derived terms

    * (l) * Giemsa stain * Leishman stain * Romanowsky stain * Wright-Giemse stain * Wright's stain

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To discolour something
  • to stain the hand with dye
    armour stained with blood
  • To taint or tarnish someone's character or reputation
  • * Milton
  • Of honour void, / Of innocence, of faith, of purity, / Our wonted ornaments now soiled and stained .
  • To coat a surface with a stain
  • to stain wood with acids, coloured washes, paint rubbed in, etc.
    the stained glass used for church windows
  • To treat a microscope specimen with a dye
  • To cause to seem inferior or soiled by comparison.
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
  • She stains the ripest virgins of her age.
  • * Spenser
  • that did all other beasts in beauty stain

    Anagrams

    * ----

    dirt

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (obsolete)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • soil or earth
  • A stain or spot (on clothes etc); any foreign substance that worsens appearance
  • Previously unknown facts, or the invented "facts", about a person; gossip
  • The reporter uncovered the dirt on the businessman by going undercover.
  • Meanness; sordidness.
  • * Melmoth
  • honours thrown away upon dirt and infamy
  • In placer mining, earth, gravel, etc., before washing.
  • Derived terms

    * dirt bike * dirt nap * dirty * do someone dirt

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (rare) To make foul or filthy; soil; befoul; dirty