Sully, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sullied; p. pr. & vb. n. Sullying.]
Etymology: [OE. sulien, AS. sylian, fr. sol mire; akin to G. suhle mire, sich, sühlen to wallow, Sw. söla to bemire, Dan. söle, 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.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Sully, v. i.
To become soiled or tarnished. Silvering will sully and canker more than gilding. Bacon.
Sully, n.; pl. Sullies (.
Soil; tarnish; stain. A noble and triumphant merit breaks through little spots and sullies in his reputation. Spectator.