1) загрязнять 2) заражать
загрязнять, заражать Например: to contaminate environment — загрязнять окружающую среду
глагол 1) загрязнять; отравлять Например: All evils here contaminate the mind. (O. Goldsmith, The Traveller, 1764) — Здесь все пороки отравляют разум. Imperfect metals infected or contaminated with terrestrial feculence. — Дефектные металлы, заражённые или загрязнённые земляными примесями. Синоним(ы): pollute, soil, dirty, corrupt, defile, sully, taint 2) заражать, инфицировать (в том числе отравляющими и радиоактивными веществами) Например: A wound was contaminated by bacteria. — Рана была инфицирована бактериями. Синоним(ы): infect, pollute
transitive verb (-nated; -nating) Etymology: Middle English, from Latin contaminatus, past participle of contaminare; akin to Latin contingere to have contact with — more at contingent 1. a. to soil, stain, corrupt, or infect by contact or association Example: bacteria contaminated the wound b. to make inferior or impure by admixture Example: iron contaminated with phosphorus 2. to make unfit for use by the introduction of unwholesome or undesirable elements • contaminative adjective • contaminator noun Synonyms: contaminate, taint, pollute, defile mean to make impure or unclean. contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source Example: water contaminated by industrial wastes. taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination Example: tainted meat Example: a politician's tainted reputation. pollute sometimes interchangeable with contaminate, distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy Example: the polluted waters of the river. defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration Example: defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo.