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The word for today is…

tincture (noun, verb):

noun
1: a solution of a medicinal substance in an alcoholic solvent
2a: a characteristic quality : cast
b: a slight admixture : trace
3a: color, tint
b archaic : a substance that colors, dyes, or stains
4: a heraldic metal, color, or fur
5. obsolete : an active principle or extract

verb
1: to tint or stain with a color : tinge
2a: to infuse or instill with a property or entity : impregnate
b: to imbue with a quality : affect

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : Tincture is a word with a colorful past most often encountered today in reference to a solution consisting of a medicinal substance mixed with alcohol, as in “Carl weathers his cold with a tincture of echinacea.” When the word first appeared in English in the 14th century, tincture referred to a substance used to color, dye, or stain, but by the 17th century the word had acquired several additional meanings, including “a slight infusion or trace of something.” This sense is still in use today, especially figuratively, as when an aspiring actor is said to feel a “tincture of doubt that the acting lessons are worth what he paid.”

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