sully

¹

[ suhl-ee ]

verb (used with object)

, sul·lied, sul·ly·ing.

1. to soil, stain, or tarnish.

   Synonyms: contaminate, blemish, taint

2. to mar the purity or luster of; defile:

   to sully a reputation.

   Synonyms: dishonor, disgrace, dirty

verb (used without object)

, sul·lied, sul·ly·ing.

1. to become sullied, soiled, or tarnished.

noun

, plural sul·lies.

1. Obsolete. a stain; soil.

Sully

²

[ suhl-ee; French sy-lee ]

noun

1. Ma·xi·mi·lien de Bé·thune [m, a, k-see-mee-, lyan, d, uh, bey-, tyn], Duc de, 1560–1641, French statesman.
2. Thomas, 1783–1872, U.S. painter, born in England.

sully

¹

/ ˈsʌlɪ /

verb

1. to stain or tarnish (a reputation, etc) or (of a reputation) to become stained or tarnished

noun

1. a stain
2. the act of sullying

Sully

²

/ sylli; ˈsʌlɪ /

noun

1. SullyMaximilien de Béthune, Duc de15591641MFrenchPOLITICS: statesman Maximilien de Béthune (maksimiljɛ̃ də betyn), Duc de Sully. 1559–1641, French statesman; minister of Henry IV. He helped restore the finances of France after the Wars of Religion

Derived Forms

• ˈsulliable, adjective

Other Words From

• sul·li·a·ble adjective
• un·sul·li·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sully¹

First recorded in 1585–95; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of sully¹

C16: probably from French souiller to soil

Example Sentences

SPCA International has arranged foster care for Sully and Peggy, while efforts continue to reunite them with Weldon and Kurulgan.

From Time

Weldon worries that Sully, who he raised from a ball of fur that could barely stand to a healthy dog prancing around his Marine base, might forget him.

From Time

Sully told Keaney he “wanted to study something about basketball,” his favorite sport.

From Washington Post

I begin to observe that it sounds as if Sully is in microcosm what Newman himself…but that is as far as I get.

From The Daily Beast

In giving Sully a life, he gave the character some of his own life.

From The Daily Beast

Sully decides to face the truth of what his negligence has sown.

From The Daily Beast

But he was also showing a gritty and sully city in a beautiful way.

From The Daily Beast

The Sully people catalogue a variety of reactions to today's job numbers.

From The Daily Beast

All day long I sully sheet after sheet of paper and beguile the tedious hours with the half-faded recollections of my childhood.

From Project Gutenberg

He sent Sully over to cement the good understanding of the two States by arguments and gifts to the leading courtiers.

From Project Gutenberg

Sully was represented at the Philadelphia Academy by one hundred and sixteen pictures.

From Project Gutenberg

No pains were spared to sully his character, to ruin his fortunes, and to render him an object of public indignation.

From Project Gutenberg

There are, nevertheless, three or four female heads, of an ethereal beauty-portraits in the manner of Sully.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• besmirch
• blacken
• corrupt
• debase
• defile
• discolor
• disgrace
• dishonor
• smear
• smudge
• taint
• tar
• tarnish