Sully \Sul"ly\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sullied; p. pr. & vb. n. Sullying.]

[OE. sulien, AS. sylian, fr. sol mire; akin to G. suhle mire, sich, s["u]hlen to wallow, Sw. s["o]la to bemire, Dan. s["o]le, Goth. bisaulijan to defile.]

To soil; to dirty; to spot; to tarnish; to stain; to darken; -- used literally and figuratively; as, to sully a sword; to sully a person's reputation.

Statues sullied yet with sacrilegious smoke. --Roscommon.

No spots to sully the brightness of this solemnity. --Atterbury.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Sully \Sul"ly\, v. i. To become soiled or tarnished.

Silvering will sully and canker more than gilding. --Bacon.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Sully \Sul"ly\, n.; pl. Sullies. Soil; tarnish; stain.

A noble and triumphant merit breaks through little spots and sullies in his reputation. --Spectator.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)