blemish en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈblɛmɪʃ/
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From Middle English blemisshen, blemissen, from Old French blemiss-, stem of Old French blemir, blesmir (“make pale, injure, wound, bruise”) (French blêmir), from Old Frankish *blesmijan, *blasmijan (“to make pale”), from Old Frankish *blasmī (“pale”), from Proto-Germanic *blasaz (“white, pale”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine”). Cognate with Dutch bles (“white spot”), German blass (“pale”), Old English āblered (“bare, uncovered, bald, shaven”).
Meanings
-
A small flaw which spoils the appearance of something, a stain, a spot.
There are a very large number of types of blemish and the smallest blemish visible to a human can be surprisingly small, for example less than 10μm deep, which may be on the surface of a heavily embossed tile.
2003, A. K. Forrest, “Chapter 6: Surface Defect Detection on Ceramics”, in Mark Graves, Bruce Batchelor, editors, Machine Vision for the Inspection of Natural Products, page 193:Any foot shape deviating from this model is conceived as a blemish, and the animal is unclean.
1997, Jean Soler, “5: The Semiotics of Food in the Bible”, in Carole Counihan, Penny Van Esterik, editors, Food and Culture: A Reader, page 61:It comes as a surprise to some people, but blemishes can strike at any age. To minimize the appearance of facial blemishes or pimples, use a concealer with a dry texture; it will cling to the blemish better, last throughout the day, and not irritate the skin or initiate more breakouts.
2011, Robert Jones, Makeup Makeovers Beauty Bible: Expert Secrets for Stunning Transformations, page 119:Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.
1769, Oxford Standard Text, “King James Bible”, in Leviticus, 22, xix:
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A moral defect; a character flaw.
There is no reason to think that the enlivening possible blemish was his hypocritical show of repentance, since there are so many other candidate blemishes to choose among.
2008, Annette Baier, Death and Character: Further Reflections on Hume, page 46:As piety is the peculiar ornament of old people, so the want of it is a peculiar blemish in their character.
1825, A Sermon, The Christian Magazine, volume 2, page 298:The processes of categorization, stereotyping, discrimination, and self-fulfilling prophecy can also apply to stigmas based on blemishes of individual character.
2003, Todd F. Heatherton, The Social Psychology of Stigma, page 103:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| blemishes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
blemishment · emblemishment · blemishless · blemished
Synonyms
Blot. See also Thesaurus:defect
Translations (93)
ro defect (moral defect) · fi tahra (moral defect) · ca imperfecció (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · te కళంకము (moral defect) · de Makel (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · hy արատ (moral defect) · km ខ្ចោះ (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · oc maca (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ga cáim (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es indiscreción (moral defect) · ga meann (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ca maganya (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · oc taca (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · mi makenu (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · fi vika (moral defect) · pt mancha (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · grc κηλίς (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · grc σπίλος (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es tacha (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · mi tongatonga (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · fr imperfection (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · sk vada (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ro imperfecțiune (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ru изъя́н (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es defecto (moral defect) · ga oil (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · hy թերություն (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · fr défaut (moral defect) · bg недостатък (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · de Makel (moral defect) · ga cron (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es imperfección (moral defect) · bn কলঙ্ক (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · af vlek (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · mk недостаток (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · he פגם (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ro hibă (moral defect) · sk škvrna (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · hy բիծ (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · mi koha (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es maca (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ru дефе́кт (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · oc defautàs (moral defect) · bn দোষ (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ca macadura (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · el κηλίδα (moral defect) · sk chyba (moral defect) · oc maganha (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es marca (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es mácula (moral defect) · ro pată (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es lacra (moral defect) · vi vết nhơ (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · hy արատ (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es tara (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ro pată (moral defect) · sco blain (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · la macula (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ga smál (moral defect) · ga breall (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · oc tara (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · oc taca (moral defect) · el κηλίδα (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es maca (moral defect) · bg петно (moral defect) · ru недоста́ток (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es mancilla (moral defect) · fr tache (moral defect) · hy բիծ (moral defect) · ga ainimh (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ru позо́р (moral defect) · fi jälki (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · he פגם מוסרי (moral defect) · oc deca (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · fr tache (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es devaneo (moral defect) · oc macadura (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · oc defaut (moral defect) · ga máchail (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · sk kaz (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ga ceo (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ca taca (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · pt mácula (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · sk nedostatok (moral defect) · ga spota (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · de Schönheitsfehler (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · bg позор (moral defect) · fi tahra (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · eo makulo (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · it macchia (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · sk fľak (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · es mancha (small flaw which spoils the appearance of something) · ru пятно́ (moral defect)