blemish
To spoil or damage the perfection, quality, or appearance of something, often by adding a physical mark or a moral flaw. It is frequently used figuratively to describe the act of tarnishing a person's reputation or a clean record of achievement.
Exemplos
3 de 5A single scratch on the hood of the luxury car will blemish its overall aesthetic value.
A single scratch on the hood of the luxury car will blemish its overall aesthetic value.
The committee was concerned that any hint of scandal might blemish the institution's long-standing reputation.
The committee was concerned that any hint of scandal might blemish the institution's long-standing reputation.
Don't let that one small argument blemish what has been a fantastic weekend.
Don't let that one small argument blemish what has been a fantastic weekend.
Família de palavras
Dica de memorização
Think of the word 'blame' mixed with 'finish'. If you get the 'blame' for a mistake, it might 'finish' (blemish) your perfect record.
Quiz rápido
The minor legal infraction threatened to _______ his otherwise perfect professional record.
Correto!
A resposta correta é: a
Exemplos
A single scratch on the hood of the luxury car will blemish its overall aesthetic value.
everydayA single scratch on the hood of the luxury car will blemish its overall aesthetic value.
The committee was concerned that any hint of scandal might blemish the institution's long-standing reputation.
formalThe committee was concerned that any hint of scandal might blemish the institution's long-standing reputation.
Don't let that one small argument blemish what has been a fantastic weekend.
informalDon't let that one small argument blemish what has been a fantastic weekend.
Scholars argue that certain historical inaccuracies blemish the overall validity of the primary source.
academicScholars argue that certain historical inaccuracies blemish the overall validity of the primary source.
The late delivery threatened to blemish the company's track record for reliability in the international market.
businessThe late delivery threatened to blemish the company's track record for reliability in the international market.
Família de palavras
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
unblemished record
a perfect history with no mistakes or crimes
without a blemish
perfectly clean, pure, or without flaws
blemish one's copybook
to do something that spoils your reputation (British idiom)
Frequentemente confundido com
Blemish refers to a flaw or the act of marking something; blame is the act of assigning responsibility for a fault.
A blotch is specifically a large, irregular patch of color, whereas a blemish is any small flaw or a figurative stain on character.
Notas de uso
Blemish is most effective when describing a loss of perfection. While it can describe physical marks (like skin spots or metal scratches), it is highly valued in C1-level English for describing abstract concepts like integrity, reputations, or academic records.
Erros comuns
Learners often limit 'blemish' to skincare contexts. Remember that in professional and academic settings, it is a powerful verb for describing damage to abstract ideals like 'purity' or 'truth'.
Dica de memorização
Think of the word 'blame' mixed with 'finish'. If you get the 'blame' for a mistake, it might 'finish' (blemish) your perfect record.
Origem da palavra
Derived from Middle English 'blemisshen', from Old French 'blemiss-', a stem of 'blemir' meaning 'to make pale' or 'to injure'.
Padrões gramaticais
Contexto cultural
In Western corporate culture, maintaining an 'unblemished record' is a common phrase used during background checks and performance reviews to signify total reliability.
Quiz rápido
The minor legal infraction threatened to _______ his otherwise perfect professional record.
Correto!
A resposta correta é: a
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