attainture

From Medieval Latin attinctūra, used to translate Old French ateint, from Vulgar Latin *attinctus (perfect passive participle of Latin attingō).

attainture (plural attaintures)

1. (obsolete) A state of being found guilty of an offence.

   Synonyms: attainder, attaintment, condemnation

   • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, ”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies.  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     thus, I fear, at last
     Hume’s knavery will be the duchess’ wreck,
     And her attainture will be Humphrey’s fall:

   • 1637, Philemon Holland (translator), Britain, or A Chorographicall Description by William Camden, London: George Latham, “The O-Neales, and their rebellions in our time,” p. 122,

     The title and place of Earle of Tir-Oen was presently granted: but as touching the inheritance, considering that upon the forfaiture and attainture of Shan O-Neale the Kings of England were invested therein, the matter was referred unto Queene Elizabeth:

2. (obsolete) Imputation of dishonour.

   Synonyms: attainder, disgrace

   • 1608, George Chapman, The Conspiracy and Tragedy of Charles, Duke of Byron‎, London: Thomas Thorppe, act III, scene 1:

     you may come,
     And take more strickt directions from his highnesse,
     Then he thinkes fit his letters should containe,
     Without the least attainture of your valure;

   • 1644, John Milton, “To the Parliament”, in The Judgement of Martin Bucer now Englisht‎, London:

     they must dig up the good name of these prime worthies and brand them as the Papists did thir bodies; and those thir pure unblamable spirits, which live not only in heaven, but in thir writings, they must attaint with new attaintures which no Protestant ever before aspers’t them with.

3. (obsolete) Unhealthy bodily condition.

   Synonym: disease

   • 1630, Gervase Markham, “Another Receipt for any extraordinary Cold, dry Cough, or pursicknesse in a Horse ”, in Markhams Faithfull Farrier‎, London: Michael Sparke, page 68:

     if the infirmitie b old and dangerous, or if there b any attainture in the Lungs or Luer

   • 1676, John Halfpenny, “General Observations, Helps and advertisements, for any man when he goeth about to buy an Horse”, in The Gentlemans Jockey‎, London: Hen. Twyford and Nath. Brook, page 34:

     But because there is but one Truth, and one perfection, I will, under the description of the perfect Horse, that is untainted, shew all the imperfections and attaintures, that either nature or mischance can put upon the Horse of greatest deformity.

• attaint