At*taint" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attainted; p. pr. & vb. n. Attainting.] [OE. atteynten to convict, fr. atteynt, OF. ateint, p. p. of ateindre, ataindre. The meanings 3, 4, 5, and 6 were influenced by a supposed connection with taint. See Attain, Attainder.] 1. To attain; to get act; to hit. [Obs.]

2. (Old Law) To find guilty; to convict; -- said esp. of a jury on trial for giving a false verdict. [Obs.]

Upon sufficient proof attainted of some open act by men of his own condition.
Blackstone.

3. (Law) To subject (a person) to the legal condition formerly resulting from a sentence of death or outlawry, pronounced in respect of treason or felony; to affect by attainder.

No person shall be attainted of high treason where corruption of blood is incurred, but by the oath of two witnesses.
Stat. 7 & 8 Wm. III.

4. To accuse; to charge with a crime or a dishonorable act. [Archaic]

5. To affect or infect, as with physical or mental disease or with moral contagion; to taint or corrupt.

My tender youth was never yet attaint
With any passion of inflaming love.
Shak.

6. To stain; to obscure; to sully; to disgrace; to cloud with infamy.

For so exceeding shone his glistring ray,
That Ph&?;bus' golden face it did attaint.
Spenser.

Lest she with blame her honor should attaint.
Spenser.

At*taint", p. p. Attainted; corrupted. [Obs.] Shak.

At*taint", n. [OF. attainte. See Attaint, v.] 1. A touch or hit. Sir W. Scott.

2. (Far.) A blow or wound on the leg of a horse, made by overreaching. White.

3. (Law) A writ which lies after judgment, to inquire whether a jury has given a false verdict in any court of record; also, the convicting of the jury so tried. Bouvier.

4. A stain or taint; disgrace. See Taint. Shak.

5. An infecting influence. [R.] Shak.