Inherited from Middle English merren, from Old English mierran (“to mar, disturb, confuse; scatter, squander, waste; upset, hinder, obstruct; err”), from Proto-Germanic *marzijaną (“to disturb, hinder”), from Proto-Indo-European *mers- (“to annoy, disturb, neglect, forget, ignore”). Cognate with Scots mer, mar (“to obstruct, impede, spoil, ruin”), Dutch marren (“to push along, delay, hinder”), dialectal German merren (“to entangle”), Icelandic merja (“to bruise, crush”), Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌶𐌾𐌰𐌽 (marzjan, “to annoy, bother, disturb, offend”), Lithuanian miršti (“to forget, lose, become oblivious, die”), Armenian մոռանալ (moṙanal, “to forget, fail”), Sanskrit मृष् (mṛṣ, “forget, neglect”).
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To spoil; to ruin; to scathe; to damage.
[…] and putteth ether many a good mā by ignorance in ieopardy of his life, or marreth good medicines to the great diſhoneſtie both of the Phiſician and of Goddes worthy creatures, the herbes and medecines:1551, William Turner, “Prologe”, in A new Herball, etc., folio Aiiii:
Prospero: […]huſh, and be mute / Or elſe our ſpell is mar'd.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
4 more examples
Ire, envy, and despair / Marred all his borrowed visage, and betrayed / Him counterfeit.1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker under Creed Church neer Aldgate; and by Robert Boulter at the Turks Head in Bishopsgate-street; and Matthias Walker, under St. Dunstons Church in Fleet-street, →OCLC:
Mother, tho' wiſe your ſelf, my Counſel weigh; / 'Tis much unſafe my Sire to disobey; / Not only you provoke him to your Coſt, / But Mirth is marr'd, and the good Chear is loſt.1700, [John] Dryden, “Homer’s Ilias”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, book I, page 218:
[…] I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.1826, Adam Clarke, The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments: The Text Printed from the Most Correct Copies of the Present Authorized Translation, including the Marginal Readings and Parallel Texts. With a Commentary and Critical Notes. Designed as a Help to a Better Understanding of the Sacred Writings, Royal Octavo Stereotype edition, volume IV, New York, N.Y.: Published by N. Bangs and J. Emory, for the Methodist Episcopal Church, at the Conference Office, 13, Crosby-Street, Jeremiah 18:3–4, page 53:
Sin defiles the soul; it mars its beauty, impairs its health and vigor. It perverts its powers, and deranges all its dignified energies and attributes.1856, Jabez Burns, “The Heralds of Mercy”, in Cyclopedia of Sermons: Containing Sketches of Sermons on the Parables and Miracles of Christ, on Christian Missions, on Scripture Characters and Incidents; on Subjects Appropriate for the Sick Room, Family Reading and Village Worship and some Special Occasions, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, 346 & 348 Broadway, →OCLC, page 253:
Inherited from Middle English merren, from Old English mierran (“to mar, disturb, confuse; scatter, squander, waste; upset, hinder, obstruct; err”), from Proto-Germanic *marzijaną (“to disturb, hinder”), from Proto-Indo-European *mers- (“to annoy, disturb, neglect, forget, ignore”). Cognate with Scots mer, mar (“to obstruct, impede, spoil, ruin”), Dutch marren (“to push along, delay, hinder”), dialectal German merren (“to entangle”), Icelandic merja (“to bruise, crush”), Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌶𐌾𐌰𐌽 (marzjan, “to annoy, bother, disturb, offend”), Lithuanian miršti (“to forget, lose, become oblivious, die”), Armenian մոռանալ (moṙanal, “to forget, fail”), Sanskrit मृष् (mṛṣ, “forget, neglect”).
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A blemish.
For concealing deep mars, some manufacturers offer putty sticks in colors that match their panels.1980, Robert M. Jones, editor, Walls and Ceilings, Time-Life Books, →ISBN, page 68: