smirches

Even though Paul had been exonerated, the stain on his record was permanent—those “unremovable smirches” he had rightly feared when he first realized he was under investigation.

A Covert Affair Jennet Conant 2011

Even they grow earth-hungry, and yearn vaguely for the soil from which they have been driven, and for the free life in the open, and the wind and rain and sun all undefiled by city smirches.

HOPS AND HOPPERS 2010

Even though Paul had been exonerated, the stain on his record was permanent—those “unremovable smirches” he had rightly feared when he first realized he was under investigation.

A Covert Affair Jennet Conant 2011

Although the “how” and “why” of it were still beyond him, Paul wrote Julia, “It appears to be (if the above assumption is correct) that they are actually trying to protect my reputation (and their own too, of course!) by all this secrecy—having, perhaps, learned from the public blare of the McCarthy proceedings, and the consequent adverse criticism of his methods, that unremovable smirches can be rubbed onto innocent persons.”

A Covert Affair Jennet Conant 2011

Nor are these experiences heart soils and smirches.

The Kempton-Wace Letters 2010

Although the “how” and “why” of it were still beyond him, Paul wrote Julia, “It appears to be (if the above assumption is correct) that they are actually trying to protect my reputation (and their own too, of course!) by all this secrecy—having, perhaps, learned from the public blare of the McCarthy proceedings, and the consequent adverse criticism of his methods, that unremovable smirches can be rubbed onto innocent persons.”

A Covert Affair Jennet Conant 2011

Ah, Dane, remember the first dim yearning of divided life, and the soils and smirches and frenzies put upon it by the spawn of multitudinous generations.

The Kempton-Wace Letters 2010

But this notion that athletes aren't role models now, this notion now that this, you know, this smirches all of sports.

CNN Transcript Jul 27, 2007 2007

_Love's Labour's Lost_ and several other early plays suggest that he knew too well how love for the unworthy woman smirches honour, wakens, but holds captive, the reason, and wastes the spiritual gift in the praise of a form of death.

William Shakespeare John Masefield 1922

When they are taught in school that War is the most loathsome scourge humanity is subject to, that it smirches and fouls very lovely occupation of the mortal spirit, then there may be some hope for the future.

The Haunted Bookshop 1918