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sully definition

sully (sul′ē)

transitive verb sullied -·lied, sullying -·ly·ing

to soil, stain, tarnish, or besmirch, now esp. by disgracing

Etymology: prob. < Fr souiller < OFr soillier: see soil

intransitive verb

Obsolete to become sullied

noun pl. sullies -·lies

Archaic a stain or tarnish; defilement
Sully definition

Sully (sul′ē; also, for 1, Fr sü lē′)

  1. Sully, Duc de (Maximilien de Béthune) 1560-1641; Fr. statesman
  2. Sully, Thomas 1783-1872; U.S. painter, born in England

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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