Sekirov Dictionary

smear

UK /smɪə(ɹ)/US /smiɚ/

verb 12
noun 8
forms 5
phrases 1

verb12

•
To spread (a substance, especially one that colours or is dirty) across a surface by rubbing.
- The artist smeared paint over the canvas in broad strokes.
•
To cover (a surface with a layer of some substance) by rubbing.
- She smeared her lips with lipstick.
•
To cause (something) to be a particular colour by covering with a substance.
- small wooden dolls smeared red as though with blood — 1864
•
To damage someone's reputation by slandering, misrepresenting, or otherwise making false accusations about them, their statements, or their actions.
- The opposition party attempted to smear the candidate by spreading incorrect and unverifiable rumors about their personal behavior.
•
To cause (something) to be messy or not clear by rubbing and spreading it.
- When she had entered two or three laborious items in the account-book, Jip would walk over the page, wagging his tail, and smear them all out. — 1849
•
To become messy or not clear by being spread.
- The paint is still wet — don't touch it or it will smear.
•
To make something dirty.
- A man may bee smeared or grimed, and euerie man shall laugh at him, and yet he himselfe shall not perceiue it a whit. — 1583
•
(of a substance, etc.) To make a surface dirty by covering it.
- a pallor which was accentuated by the blood which smeared her lips and cheeks and chin — 1897
•
To rub (a body part, etc.) across a surface.
- […] he smeared his ragged rough sleeve over his eyes. — 1860
•
To write or draw (something) by spreading a substance on a surface.
- ciphers smeared on the windows of condemned shops — 1970
•
To attempt to remove (a substance) from a surface by rubbing.
- He had […] a dirty belcher handkerchief round his neck, with the long frayed ends of which he smeared the beer from his face as he spoke: — 1838
To climb without using footholds, using the friction from the shoe to stay on the wall.

noun8

•
A mark made by smearing.
- This detergent cleans windows without leaving smears.
A presentation of a sauce, purée or other food item, which is placed in a dollop and spread across the plate.
•
A false or unsupported, malicious statement intended to injure a person's reputation.
- “I’d rather not [read the newspaper article]. It’s probably full of falsification and smear. The yellow journalists doubtlessly suggested all sorts of lip-smacking innuendoes.” — 1963
A preparation to be examined under a microscope, made by spreading a thin layer of a substance (such as blood, bacterial culture) on a slide.
•
A Pap smear (screening test for cervical cancer).
- I'm going to the doctor's this afternoon for a smear.
•
Any of various forms of distortion that make a signal harder to see or hear.
- In television terms, a certain amount of smear, ringing, and anticipatory overshoot are indigenous to VSB transmission. — 1954
A maneuver in which a shoe is placed onto a holdless rock, and the friction from the shoe keeps it in contact with the rock.
A rough glissando in jazz music.

forms

smeared · smearing · smeareth · smears · smearest

Phrases with smear

smear campaign
An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.

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