An author wrote “the proficiency she was attainting in the martial arts”, and I felt so sad for the character. Sounds like she was really screwing up the group’s chances to win at the tournament.
Okay, okay, got that bit of snark off my chest. I gotta say I couldn’t believe a writer would actually use attaint in this context. It’s such a dishonorable word. A condemnation. A disgrace.
I do think the author meant that the character was reaching her goals, attaining her aims, even if it was hard work.
It didn’t make it much better that attaint is considered obsolete, archaic, even. ‘Cause it sure didn’t suit the character of the young man who was “speaking” this sentence.
Sad, really.
Exploring Later . . .
You may also want to explore “Attain versus Obtain“.
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noir for you from either end.
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| Attain | Attaint |
|---|---|
.jpg) — |
 — |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Verb, intransitive & transitive
Third person present verb: attains |
Noun; Verb, transitive
Plural for the noun: attaint Alternative spelling: atteint |
| Verb, intransitive: [Usually followed by to or unto] To arrive at or succeed in reaching or obtaining something To reach in the course of development or growth [Often followed by to] To arrive (at) with effort or exertion Verb, transitive:
|
Noun: [Obsolete] A stain
[Archaic] A blow or strike, especially in jousting A wound on the leg of a horse caused by a blow [Obsolete; Law] The giving of a false verdict by a jury
A less common word for attainder Verb, transitive:
[Archaic] Affect or infect with disease or corruption To disgrace or dishonor
[Archaic] To accuse [Obsolete] To prove the guilt of [Of sickness] To affect or strike somebody |
| Examples: | |
| Verb, intransitive: He struggled to attain to a greater glory. Paul attained to recognition as an expert on butterflies. These trees attain to remarkable height. Verb, transitive: He attained the rank of admiral. Human beings can attain happiness. Dolphins can attain remarkable speeds in water. He noted the proficiency she was attaining in the martial arts. She aims to attain the age of 96. Attaining a mountain peak is on Clara’s bucket list. We should attain profitability in two years. |
Noun: “Hither he came, when attaint was lifted, late in those tottering years.” – Keith Clark, The Spell of Scotland “Since all of the victims were dead, the attaint affected only their property.” – Thomas J. Wertenbaker, Give Me Liberty The attaint was finally abolished in England in 1825. “Need I caution thee to watch well that they bring our name into no disgrace or attaint?” – Edward Bulwer-Lytton, The Last Of The Barons, Complete Verb, transitive: “Now Parliament was called on by the king himself to attaint his ministers and his Queens.” – John Richard Green, History of the English People “At the moment of impact, the king’s eyes are open, his body braced for the [attaint]; he takes the blow perfectly, its force absorbed by a body securely armoured, moving in the right direction, moving at the right speed.” – 2009, Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall “To his lands Henry added the property of several landowners attainted in the course of his reign.” “Even to have kicked an outsider might have been held to attaint the foot.” She is attainted with the plague. |
| Derivatives: | |
| Adjective: attainable, unattained, unattaining, well-attained Noun: attainability, attainableness, attainer, attainment Verb, transitive: reattain |
Adjective: unattainted |
| History of the Word: | |
| Middle English in the senses of bring to justice and reach a state, from the Old French ateindre, which is from the Latin attingere, from ad- (at, to) + tangere (to touch). | Middle English in the sense of touch, reach, attain, from the obsolete attaint (adjective), which is from the Old French ataint, ateint, past participle of ateindre meaning bring to justice. It is influenced in meaning by a trace of a bad or undesirable quality or substance. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Attain versus Attaint
Apple Dictionary.com
Dictionary.com: attaint
Pinterest Photo Credits:
Dachau Concentration Camp, Dachau, Germany, is a photo taken by Marcia Stubbeman under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons. This sculpture is part of the International Monument (<https://www.scrapbookpages.com/DachauScrapbook/KZDachau/DachauLife01G.html>) and was designed by Nandor Glid, May 2007.
Revised as of 4 Apr 2024
By: Kathy Davie