SULLYING Meaning and
Definition
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Sullying is a verb that refers to the act of tarnishing, staining, or polluting something, often in a figurative sense. It is the action of making something impure or dirty, particularly in terms of reputation, moral character, or innocence.
When applied to a person, sullying may involve damaging their good name or reputation by spreading false information, rumors, or slander. This form of sullying can lead to individuals being socially marginalized, facing negative judgments, or being treated unfairly. It is a harmful act that can have long-lasting consequences on someone's personal and professional life.
Sullying can also be done to objects or places, where it involves making them dirty, contaminated, or less fit for use. This can be achieved through physical actions, such as littering, or through the introduction of harmful substances or pollutants into the environment, thereby sullying its purity or safety.
Moreover, sullying can extend to intangible things, such as ideas, beliefs, or principles. In this context, it refers to the distortion, manipulation, or pollution of concepts, usually with the intention of misleading or deceiving others. Sullying can be employed as a tactic to undermine trust, sow doubt, or subvert the truth.
Overall, sullying involves the deliberate or unintentional act of defiling or tainting something, whether physically, reputationally, or ideologically.
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Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for SULLYING
Etymology of SULLYING
The word "sullying" comes from the verb "sully", which has its origins in Middle English and Old French. It is derived from the Latin word "solutus", meaning "dirty" or "soiled". Over time, the word "sully" developed in English to mean "tarnish", "defile", or "stain", usually in a figurative sense. The addition of the "-ing" suffix forms the present participle "sullying", which indicates the ongoing action or process of staining or dirtying something.
Conjugate verb Sullying
CONDITIONAL
I
would sully
we
would sully
you
would sully
he/she/it
would sully
they
would sully
FUTURE
I
will sully
we
will sully
you
will sully
he/she/it
will sully
they
will sully
FUTURE PERFECT
I
will have sullied
we
will have sullied
you
will have sullied
he/she/it
will have sullied
they
will have sullied
PAST
I
sullied
we
sullied
you
sullied
he/she/it
sullied
they
sullied
PAST PERFECT
I
had sullied
we
had sullied
you
had sullied
he/she/it
had sullied
they
had sullied
PRESENT
I
sully
we
sully
you
sully
he/she/it
sullies
they
sully
PRESENT PERFECT
I
have sullied
we
have sullied
you
have sullied
he/she/it
has sullied
they
have sullied
I
am sullying
we
are sullying
you
are sullying
he/she/it
is sullying
they
are sullying
I
was sullying
we
were sullying
you
were sullying
he/she/it
was sullying
they
were sullying
I
will be sullying
we
will be sullying
you
will be sullying
he/she/it
will be sullying
they
will be sullying
I
have been sullying
we
have been sullying
you
have been sullying
he/she/it
has been sullying
they
have been sullying
I
had been sullying
we
had been sullying
you
had been sullying
he/she/it
had been sullying
they
had been sullying
I
will have been sullying
we
will have been sullying
you
will have been sullying
he/she/it
will have been sullying
they
will have been sullying
I
would have sullied
we
would have sullied
you
would have sullied
he/she/it
would have sullied
they
would have sullied
I
would be sullying
we
would be sullying
you
would be sullying
he/she/it
would be sullying
they
would be sullying
I
would have been sullying
we
would have been sullying
you
would have been sullying
he/she/it
would have been sullying
they
would have been sullying
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