Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Origin: smirch 'to make dirty' (15-20 centuries), perhaps from Old French esmorcher 'to torture'

besmirch

 verb
     
be‧smirch [transitive]
literary

besmirch somebody's honour/reputation

to spoil the good opinion that people have of someone
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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