Cartridges that remain in a magazine for a long time become slightly tarnished, for the catch plate is not airtight.

With that, the Patriots' pristine image was slightly tarnished.

His wartime record was also slightly tarnished.

Still, Rivera's angelic image has been tarnished slightly by the deaths last weekend.

Yet many white-collar criminals of the past served reduced time, maintained high net worth and returned to society as wealthy but slightly tarnished.

The league, however, lives and dies by its image, an image that, on the eve of its showcase game, is slightly tarnished.

The metallic threads, where they are used, are slightly tarnished.

Its reputation, however, has been tarnished slightly by a class-action lawsuit settled earlier this year.

He gave me that mickey grin, but his young-old eyes were slightly tarnished.

The unloaded cargo gleamed dully in the sun; copper and tin, slightly tarnished by the sea air.