Definition

1. Verb:

   • To damage or spoil the appearance, quality, or condition of something; to impair the perfection or completeness of.
   • To inflict serious damage or injury upon something or someone.

2. Noun:

   • A visible mark, blemish, or flaw that damages the appearance of something, especially on a surface or a person's body.
   • (Capitalized) The third month of the year, following February and preceding April.

Usage

• As a Verb: Used to describe the action of causing a defect, flaw, or injury. It often implies a negative impact on appearance, quality, or integrity.
• As a Noun: Used to refer to the resulting flaw or blemish itself. When capitalized ("Mar"), it is a proper noun referring to the month.

Examples

• Verb:
  • A large scratch marred the polished surface of the table.
  • The tragic event marred the celebrations.
  • Careless editing marred an otherwise excellent report.
• Noun (flaw):
  • The only mar on the antique vase was a small chip on its base.
  • He had a small mar on his cheek from a childhood accident.
• Noun (month):
  • Her birthday is in Mar.
  • The project is due by the end of Mar.

Advanced Usage

• "To make or mar": This idiom means to either create something successfully or to ruin it completely. It highlights a critical point of potential success or failure.
  • This decision will make or mar the future of the company.
• Used in formal or literary contexts to describe the spoiling of beauty, pleasure, or perfection.
  • Not even the bad weather could mar their happiness that day.

Variants and Related Words

• Marred (adj): Describes something that has been spoiled or damaged.
  • The marred landscape was a result of the industrial accident.
• Marring (noun/gerund): The action or process of spoiling something.
  • The marring of the document made it difficult to read.

Synonyms

• Verb: Spoil, impair, damage, deface, tarnish, blemish, flaw, injure.
• Noun (flaw): Blemish, flaw, defect, imperfection, mark, scar.

Antonyms

• Verb: Enhance, improve, beautify, repair, restore.
• Noun (flaw): Perfection, enhancement.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Make or mar: To be the factor that causes either complete success or total failure.
  • The final interview will make or mar his chances of getting the job.

Noun

1. a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something (especially on a person's body)
   • a facial blemish
2. the month following February and preceding April

Verb

1. destroy or injure severely
   • mutilated bodies
2. make imperfect
   • nothing marred her beauty