discolor

/dis'kʌlə/
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discolor

The detergent discolored my favorite shirt.

Definition
  1. Verb (transitive):

    • To cause something to change from its original or natural color, often in an undesirable way, such as by staining, fading, or chemical reaction.
    • To cause something to lose its color.
  2. Verb (intransitive):

    • To become changed in color, often undesirably.
    • To lose color or become colorless.
Usage
  • As a transitive verb, "discolor" takes a direct object (e.g., ).
  • As an intransitive verb, it does not take a direct object (e.g., ).
  • It typically describes an unwanted or negative change in appearance.
Examples
  • Transitive use:
    • The harsh chemicals in the water can discolor your hair.
    • Spilling red wine on the carpet will discolor it.
  • Intransitive use:
    • Old photographs often discolor and turn yellow.
    • The leaves began to discolor and fall from the tree.
Advanced Usage
  • "to discolor with age": to change color as a natural result of getting older.
    • The pages of the ancient book had discolored with age.
  • "to discolor upon exposure": to change color when subjected to something (e.g., light, air).
    • This pigment will discolor upon exposure to strong sunlight.
Variants and Related Words
  • Discoloration (noun): the process or result of becoming discolored.
    • There was a noticeable discoloration on the wall where the painting had hung.
  • Discolored (adjective): having lost or changed from the original color.
    • He replaced the discolored tiles in the bathroom.
Synonyms
  • Stain: to leave a mark that is difficult to remove.
  • Fade: to lose brightness or color gradually.
  • Tarnish: to become less bright or discolored, especially metal.
  • Bleach: to make white or pale by removing color.
Antonyms
  • Color (verb): to add color to something.
  • Brighten: to make more bright or colorful.
  • Restore: to bring back to an original state, including color.
Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "discolor" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. The meaning is typically contained in the single word.)

Related Idioms

(Note: There are no common idioms that use the exact word "discolor.")

discolor

The detergent discolored my favorite shirt.

Verb
  1. change color, often in an undesired manner
    • The shirts discolored
  2. cause to lose or change color
    • The detergent discolored my shirts
  3. lose color or turn colorless
    • The painting discolored