écorner

Senses

1. 1.

   to corner; to turn down the corner of

   to fold or bend the corner of a page or material

2. 2.

   to damage the edge of; to chip

   to break or wear away a corner or edge

3. 3.

   to tarnish; to diminish

   to harm the reputation or integrity of something

Examples

• "Elle a écorné la page du livre pour marquer sa place."

  She dog-eared the page of the book to mark her spot.

• "Le vase s'est écorné en tombant."

  The vase chipped when it fell.

• "Cet scandale a écorné sa réputation."

  This scandal tarnished his reputation.

Usage

A somewhat formal or literary verb. The reflexive form *s'écorner* is common when an object damages itself or gets chipped. In the figurative sense (reputation), it is more formal and less colloquial than *ternir*.