the.com/stain

proof that you lived, drank, and lost a fight with spaghetti

means A discoloration or mark left on a surface, usually one that's hard to remove and unwelcome — or, figuratively, a lasting blot on a reputation.

from From Middle English 'steinen,' likely shortened from Old French 'desteindre' meaning to remove color or take away dye (from 'des-' off + 'teindre' to dye, ultimately from Latin 'tingere,' to dip or color). There may also be influence from Old Norse 'steina,' to paint. The irony is built in: a word rooted in coloring and dyeing came to mean color landing exactly where you didn't want it.

red wine
oxidized pigments bond to fabric within minutes
blood rule
cold water only; heat cooks it in permanently
forensics
luminol reveals blood stains scrubbed away years ago
old masters
some painting stains are deliberate aging tricks
language
a moral stain outlasts any laundered shirt
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