Begrime

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /bɪˈɡɹaɪm/

Definitions

1. To make something dirty by covering it with grime or dirt, which detracts from its appearance and can be hard to remove
2. To cover a surface with dirt or grime so that it appears unclean and neglected
3. To soil or stain something by applying a layer of dirt, affecting its cleanliness

Etymology: "Begrime" is a plain formation: the prefix "be-", meaning "all over" or "thoroughly," attached to "grime," which meant "to cake with dirt." Together they describe covering something completely with dirt, as in gardening gloves caked in soil. The prefix does most of the work here. Old English "be-" was used to turn nouns and verbs into forms that acted on an object all over, so "bespatter" and "besmear" follow the same pattern. "Grime" itself, the noun for dirt ingrained in a surface, is the older base, and the verb simply takes that sense and spreads it across the whole object.

Synonyms: dirty, soiled

Antonyms: clean, purify