What part of speech is “tarnish”

as a noun, 'tarnish' refers to the dullness or discoloration that appears on a surface, especially of a metallic object, due to oxidation or other chemical reactions.

There's a layer of tarnish on this old coin.

You can use a special cloth to remove the tarnish from silver items.

The tarnish on the brass doorknob indicates it hasn't been cleaned in a while.

when referring to the noun form of 'tarnish,' it's typically in the context of the dull or discolored layer on metals. It's less common to use the noun form of 'tarnish' metaphorically, but it's possible in some contexts.

as a verb, 'tarnish' means to lose or cause something to lose its luster, especially as a result of exposure to air or moisture. It can also mean to damage or diminish the good quality of something, especially one's reputation.

The silverware will tarnish if not polished regularly.

The scandal tarnished his reputation.

The metal began to tarnish over time.

'tarnish' is often associated with metals, especially silver, but can be used metaphorically for intangible things like reputation. It's important to differentiate between the physical tarnishing of an object and the metaphorical tarnishing of one's image or reputation.