unbesmirch

English

Etymology

From un- +‎ besmirch.

Verb

unbesmirch (third-person singular simple present unbesmirches, present participle unbesmirching, simple past and past participle unbesmirched)

1. (transitive, rare) To undo the effects of besmirching; to restore the reputation of.
   • 1874, United States Congress Reports of Committees, page 64:

     And it is with sincere regret that I add, under obligations to truth, that the record fails to unbesmirch him.

   • 1986 October 2, Jerry R. De Young, “Tavern Guild Leagues Expecting”, in Bay Area Reporter, volume XVI, number 40, San Francisco, C.A.: Benro Enterprises, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 41:

     In an attempt to unbesmirch the innocent, please permit me to inform everyone that the person whose implacability was the impetus that ignited the heated verbal conflagration between the Park Bowl and Pilsner Pin Guin teams was actually a member of the latter.

   • 1990 April 23, Dr. Eliot Shimoff, “L'Chaim issue # 106 part 4 of 4”, in soc.culture.jewish‎^[1] (Usenet):

     Just to unbesmirch my (well-sullied) reputation -- I wan^[sic] not referring to early _American_ reformers, but to the original German reformers.

   • 1997, Lawrence Block, Even the Wicked, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 333:

     "He'll ruin your image." / "Right, he'll unbesmirch it. You know, if it weren't so clearly contrary to his own wishes, I'd kind of like to try the case. I think I could get him off."

   • 1998 July 17, Giles Boutel, “grey matter”, in nz.general‎^[2] (Usenet):

     I've come over all defensive! I must redeem myself and unbesmirch my honour!

   • 2000 December 4, Valerie C. Scanlon, What Return Shall I Make, Bloomington, I.N.: Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 271:

     I surely could speak to ... unbesmirch? . . . debesmirch? . . . reclaim my imperiled honor.

   • 2005 February 18, OM, “STS51L Accident Questions”, in sci.space.history‎^[3] (Usenet):

     They're not *his* views, but those of that worthless psychotic janitor of a "father" of his. He's just trying to unbesmirch daddy's name.

Related terms

• unbesmirched (adjective)
• unbesmirching (noun)