contaminate
121contact — [17] The underlying notion of contact is not surprisingly one of ‘touching’. It comes ultimately from Latin tangere ‘touch’, source of English tactile, tangent, and tangible. Using the prefix com ‘together’ this was formed into a compound verb… …
122tangible — [16] Tangible means literally ‘touchable’. It comes via French tangible from late Latin tangibilis, a derivative of Latin tangere ‘touch’. Other English words from this source include tangent [16], etymologically a line ‘touching’ a circle. Its… …
123contamination — (n.) early 15c., from L. contaminationem (nom. contaminatio), noun of action from pp. stem of contaminare (see CONTAMINATE (Cf. contaminate)). Figurative sense is from c.1620; specifically of radioactivity from 1913 …
124decontaminate — 1936, from DE (Cf. de ) + CONTAMINATE (Cf. contaminate). Originally in reference to poison gas. Related: Decontaminated; decontaminating …
125sully — v. a. 1. Soil, stain, tarnish, spot, blemish, dirty, contaminate, deface. 2. Stain, soil, tarnish, blemish, dishonor, disgrace, contaminate …
126infect — verb 1) he didn t want to infect others with his chicken pox Syn: pass infection to, spread disease to, contaminate 2) nitrates were infecting rivers Syn: contaminate, pollute, taint, foul, dirty, blight, damage, ru …
127poison — 1. noun 1) a deadly poison Syn: toxin, toxicant, venom; archaic bane 2) Marianne would spread her poison Syn: malice, ill will, hate, malevolence, bitterness, spite, spitefulness, venom …
128infect — verb 1) they can infect their children Syn: pass infection to, contaminate 2) nitrates were infecting rivers Syn: contaminate, pollute, taint, foul, poison …