smear

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To spread (a substance, especially one that colours or is dirty) across a surface by rubbing.
2. (transitive) To cover (a surface with a layer of some substance) by rubbing.
3. (transitive) To make something dirty.
4. (transitive) (of a substance, etc.) To make a surface dirty by covering it.
5. (derogatory, transitive) To damage someone's reputation by slandering, misrepresenting, or otherwise making false accusations about them, their statements, or their actions.
6. (transitive) To cause (something) to be messy or not clear by rubbing and spreading it.
7. (intransitive) To become messy or not clear by being spread.
8. (transitive) To write or draw (something) by spreading a substance on a surface.
9. (transitive) To cause (something) to be a particular colour by covering with a substance.
10. (transitive) To rub (a body part, etc.) across a surface.
11. (transitive) To attempt to remove (a substance) from a surface by rubbing.
12. To climb without using footholds, using the friction from the shoe to stay on the wall.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A mark made by smearing.
2. (countable, uncountable) A false or unsupported, malicious statement intended to injure a person's reputation.
3. (countable, uncountable) 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.
4. (countable, uncountable) A Pap smear (screening test for cervical cancer).
5. (uncountable) Any of various forms of distortion that make a signal harder to see or hear.
6. (countable, uncountable) A maneuver in which the shoe is placed onto the holdless rock, and the friction from the shoe keeps it in contact
7. (countable, uncountable) A rough glissando in jazz music.

Synonyms

daub

anoint

spread

paint

stain

plaster

smirch

smudge

apply

rub

coat

🧥

slander

slur

spot

grease

blot

besmear

sully

besmirch

bedaub

blemish

defame

rub on

blur

udder

wipe

spread out

cover

dab

soil

speck

denigrate

calumniate

oil

mark

moil

overlay

vilification

dirty

blacken

splotch

smut

malignment

calumniation

bemire

aspersion

scrub

adulterate

reach

blotch

Translations

enduire

untar

schmieren

manchar

smeren

untar

embarrar

mancha

doorsmeren

besmeren

macchia

lambuzar

ungere

beschmieren

engrasar

Pronounced as (IPA)

/smɪə(ɹ)/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: smeren

Inherited from Old English: smerian

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: smeere

Cognate with Dutch: smeren

Cognate with Low German: smeren

Cognate with German: schmieren

In summary

From Middle English smeren, smerien, from Old English smerian, smyrian, smierwan (“to anoint or rub with grease, oil, etc.”), from Proto-West Germanic *smirwijan, from Proto-Germanic *smirwijaną. Doublet of schmear.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian smeere, Dutch smeren, Low German smeren, German schmieren.