| 释义 |
▪ I. smooth, n.|smuːð|
Also 5–6 smothe.
[f. the adj.]
1.
†a. A level space, = smeeth n. Obs.
c1440Promp. Pav. 460/2 Smethe, or smothe,..planicies.
b. U.S. A meadow; a grass field.
1845S. Judd Margaret i. ii, Get some plantain and dandelion on the smooth for greens. 1848Bartlett Dict. Amer. 314.
c. Naut. A stretch of comparatively smooth or calm water in a rough sea.
1840Marryat Poor Jack xlii, You will find that two waves will run into one another, and..neutralize each other, so that for a few seconds you have what they call a smooth. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Smooth, a Cornish term applied when the surf abates its fury for a short space. Also, the lee of a ship or of a rock. 1878D. Kemp Yacht & Boat Sailing 245 If there is much sea, a ‘smooth’ should be watched for, to tack in.
d. Coal-mining. (See quots.)
1883Gresley Gloss. Coal-m. 228 Smooth, the line of face of a stall. Ibid., Smooths, planes of cleavage more or less vertical.
2. The smooth part or surface of something; smoothness.
1551Bible Gen. xxvii. 16 She put y⊇ skynnes vpon his handes, & vpon the smothe of hys necke. 1805Spirit Public Jrnls. IX. 339 Like the silver-wing'd dove was the smooth of her hair. 1880Browning Dram. Idylls Ser. ii. Pan & Luna 13 See how the sluggish jelly..Turns marble to the touch of who would loose The solid smooth.
b. Smooth water or ground.
1667Milton P.L. vii. 409 On smooth the Seale And bended Dolphins play. 1799,1821[see rough n.1 2].
c. The agreeable or pleasant part, side, or aspect of anything. Used in contrast to rough.
1612–[see rough n.1 6 b].
†3. A polite or veiled rebuke or retort. Obs.—1
1586A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1595) 80 Asteismus, a smooth, as we call it, as when one tels a thing repugnant to the present matter or company, to say, ‘I had as lieue he told me it snew’.
4. An act of smoothing.
1848Thackeray Van. Fair lxv, She..gave one smooth to her hair, and finally let in her visitor.
5. An implement for smoothing or reducing the roughness of a surface; a smoother; a smooth file.
1879Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 414/1 When cooled, the roughnesses were taken off with a ‘smooth’ or scraper, and it was ready to receive the silver. 1881Greener The Gun 245 The bents are then cut in the tumbler with a small saw, and finished with files and smoothes. 1895Model Steam Eng. 92 ‘Smooth,’ Dead Smooths, the finest of all, complete the various forms of files.
6. a. A species of moth (see quot. 1832). b. A smooth-coated dog.
1832J. Rennie Butterfl. & Moths 110 The Smooth (Cleora teneraria, Stephens) appears the end of June or beginning of July. 1897Westm. Gaz. 11 May 4/3 He owns a brace of smooths named Dame Fortune and Dona Fortuna.
▪ II. smooth, a.|smuːð|
Forms: 1 smoð, 4 smoþe, 4–6 smothe, 5 smoth; 4 smuth, 5 smvythe; 5 smowth, 6 smouth(e, 7 smoath(e; 6–7 smoothe, 6– smooth.
[OE. smóð, found only once (the usual form being sméðe smeeth a.), and not clearly represented in any of the cognate languages.]
1. a. Having a surface free from projections, irregularities, or inequalities; presenting no roughness or unevenness to the touch or sight.
In the first example the sense is ‘unruffled, serene’.
a1050Liber Scintill. i. (1889) 6 Se þe mid soðre lufe full ys mid smyltum mode..& mid smoþestum andwlitum forðstæpþ. 13..E.E. Allit. P. A. 6 So smal, so smoþe her sydez were. a1366Chaucer Rom. Rose 542 Hir fleshe tendre as is a chike With bent browis, smothe and slyke. c1440Promp. Parv. 461/1 Smothe, pleyne, planus. Ibid., Smothe, or softe, lenis. a1470H. Parker Dives & P. x. vi. (W. de W. 1496) 379/2 The basynet..is..made slyke and smothe that shot may soone glyde of. 1530Palsgr. 324/2 Smothe as a borde is that is well planed, hony. 1592Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 143 My smooth moist hand..Would in thy palm dissolve. 1615G. Sandys Trav. 67 Women of elegant beauties, for the most part..cleare, and smooth as the polished ivory. 1682K. Digby Chym. Secr. ii. 171 Cast this Matter upon a smooth stone. 1763Goldsm. Misc. Wks. (1837) II. 493 These inequalities serve the better to grind..their food, but they grow smoother with age. 1779Mirror No. ii, We are not..to wonder if the smooth enamel of the gentleman has received some little injury from the collision of such coarse materials. 1835J. Duncan Beetles (Nat. Lib.) 148 It is..of a black colour, rather smooth and glossy. 1847Tennyson Princ. v. 70 Brows as pale and smooth As those that mourn..In deathless marble. 1871R. Ellis Catullus lxiv. 48 Smooth ivory glossy from Indies.
absol.1495Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. iii. xxi. (W. de W.) 67 For the vertue of groping the soule knowith..nesshe and hard, smothe and rough.
b. Specialized uses in the sciences. (a) Anat. Applied to those muscles of vertebrates that are neither skeletal (sense b) nor cardiac, such as those forming the gut wall, being capable of sustained but not rapid contraction and generally not under voluntary control; also to the non-striated muscle of invertebrates.
1860Busk & Huxley tr. Kölliker's Man. Human Microsc. Anat. I. xxxiv. 112 In the areola of the nipple, the smooth muscles, which are especially well developed in the female, are disposed circularly in a delicate layer. 1866[see striated ppl. a. 1 d]. 1927Haldane & Huxley Animal Biol. ii. 117 The nervous system controls striped muscle, heart muscle, smooth muscle, and glands. 1959W. Andrew Textbk. Compar. Histol. viii. 335 Alternating with these elastic tissue laminae are the masses of smooth muscle fibers with some collagenous fibers. 1962Lancet 8 Dec. 1192/2 There was swelling of the vessel walls with separation of the smooth-muscle fibres. 1971N. Garamvölgyi in K. Laki Contractile Proteins & Muscle 83 There is a wide variety in the different smooth muscles of invertebrate and vertebrate species. 1982Sci. Amer. June 48/2 It is not known how calcium causes contraction in smooth muscle (most involuntary muscle).
(b) Bacteriol. Applied to a bacterial phenotype characterized by smooth-looking colonies of regular outline, and by cells having polysaccharide capsules.
[1920: see S 4 a.] 1921[see rough a. 1 e]. 1947Ann. Rev. Microbiol. I. 20 The sharply distinct antigenic pattern observed in the smooth colony of encapsulated organisms is not preserved in the rough colony of unencapsulated variants. 1973Klainer & Geis Agents of Bacterial Dis. i. 23 Smooth (S) colonies are convex, round, and slimy and are usually regarded as the ‘normal’ form.
(c) Of a graph, function, or distribution: having no breaks, discontinuities or irregularities.
1929Jrnl. du Conseil IV. 211 The result was a smooth unimodal curve but very skew. 1933Econometrica I. 242 If the values of a variable extend over a wide range, there will be little likelihood that the distribution will be smooth and unimodal. 1946M. G. Kendall Adv. Theory Statistics II. xxix. 386 The conception of a trend as a ‘smooth’ or ‘regular’ movement is equivalent to the supposition that the trend can be represented, at least locally, by a smooth mathematical function. 1959Listener 2 July 14/1 The light-curve is not entirely smooth, as the increase to maximum is steeper than the subsequent drop. 1962A. Nisbett Technique Sound Studio iv. 82 Microphones with a smooth response in the upper middle frequency range have come into general use. 1966Rep. Comm. Inquiry Univ. Oxf. II. 400 Scales A and B bring the total college and university stipend to the same level as far as possible with a smooth college scale.
c. In tennis, squash, etc., of one of the two sides of the racket (see quot. 1901): used as a call when the racket is spun to decide the right to serve first or to choose ends. Opp. rough a. 1 d.
1890J. Marshall in Tennis, Rackets, Fives 26 Smooth, the front of the racket, which shows no knots. Spin, the decision by a racket, thrown spinning up into the air by one player, while the other calls ‘rough’ or ‘smooth’. 1901Encycl. Sport II. 621/2 Smooth side or racket, the side from which the twisted gut does not project. 1911[see rough a. 1 d]. 1961Times 4 July 11/4 The vicar's niece, whose professed ignorance of the game [sc. lawn tennis] was emphasized by a call of ‘heads’ when she should have called ‘smooth’. 1973M. Russell Double Hit xxv. 186 Nevil spun his racket. ‘Smooth,’ said Colleano. ‘Rough. I'll serve.’
2. a. Free from hairs or bristles.
c1386Chaucer Prol. 690 No berd hadde he,..As smothe it was as it were late shaue. 1535Coverdale Gen. xxvii. 11 Beholde, my brother Esau is rough, and I am smooth. 1565Cooper Thesaurus, Glaber, smooth without heare. 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) V. 6 On their under side they are thin and smooth, but their upper outer edge is parted into two hairy edges. 1783Phil. Trans. LXXIII. 221 The caterpillar..is of a jetty black, smooth as to a privation of hair, but covered with innumerable wrinkles.
b. Bot. Of leaves, etc.: ‘Free from asperities or hairs, or any sort of unevenness’ (Lindley).
1688Holme Armoury ii. 88/2 Bacchar hath a long smooth leaf. 1776Lee Introd. Bot. 379 Lævis, smooth, free from Protuberances or Inequalities. 1796Withering Brit. Pl. (ed. 3) II. 356 Leaves flat and smooth. 1834Penny Cycl. II. 11/2 A perennial plant..having one or two smooth..leaves. 1861Bentley Man. Bot. 593 The Gentian Order... Usually smooth herbs.
3. a. Of ground, ways, etc.: Not rugged, rough, or broken; free from obstructions; easy to traverse. Also in fig. contexts.
c1391Chaucer Astrol. ii. §29 Lat thyn Astrelabie kowch adown euene vpon a smothe grond. c1449Pecock Repr. v. viii. 525 Whanne the sitter knowith weel the same ambuler be..redi into stumbling, thouȝ the wey be smothe and euen. 1526Tindale Luke iii. 5 The rought wayes shalbe made smoth. 1644Milton Educ. Wks. 1851 IV. 383 The right path of a vertuous..Education; laborious indeed at the first ascent, but else so smooth,..so full of goodly prospect. 1681Dryden Abs. & Achit. 256 Our Fortune rolls as from a smooth Descent. 1770Langhorne Plutarch (1851) II. 598 The traitor led him by a way that was smooth and easy at first. 1847James Woodman iii, The road was..sandy enough, in all conscience, and not so smooth as it might have been. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 291 Hesiod..says that the road to wickedness is smooth and very short.
†b. to make smooth work of, to level with the ground, to demolish. Obs.—1
1616J. Lane Contn. Sqr.'s T. viii. 433 Biddes battries all, and musketes wholie shoote, and make smoothe worke of th' seaun mountes and the towne.
4. a. Of water, the sea, etc.: Not broken or turbulent; free from big waves or roughness; running or flowing evenly, calmly, or gently.
smooth chance or smooth spell, a stretch of calm water in a rough sea.
c1374Chaucer Boeth. i. metr. ii. (1868) 8 Þe causes whennes þe soundyng wyndes moeuen..þe smoþe water of þe see. 14..Lydgate Churl & Bird xxvii, Smothe waters been ofte tyme depe. 1606Shakes. Tr. & Cr. i. iii. 34 The Sea being smooth, How many shallow bauble Boates dare saile Vpon her patient brest! 1667Milton P.L. i. 450 While smooth Adonis from his native Rock Ran purple to the Sea. 1743Bulkeley & Cummins Voy. S. Seas 106 It being smooth Water, she work'd very well. 1754Gray Poesy 8 Now the rich stream of music winds along Deep, majestic, smooth, and strong. 1817Shelley Rev. Islam xii. xix, A river deep, which flies with smooth but arrowy speed. 1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast v, Seeing what he thought was a ‘smooth spell’, [he] started to go forward. Ibid. xxv, Watching for a ‘smooth chance’. 1877L. Morris Epic of Hades ii. 101 Summer sea, Which gently heaved, and surged, and kissed the ledge With smooth warm tides.
b. Of a passage, voyage, etc.: Accompanied by or performed in good weather.
Common in recent colloq. use.
5. Of wind or weather: Not rough or stormy; agreeable, pleasant. Now rare.
c1402Lydg. Compl. Bl. Knt. 57 The eyre attempre, and the smothe wind Of Zepherus, among the blossomes whyte. c1430― Minor Poems (Percy Soc.) 3 The ayre attempered, the wyndes smowth and playne. 1610Fletcher Faithf. Sheph. i. i, Air..as fresh and sweet, As where smooth Zephyrus plays on the fleet Face of the curled Streams. 1700S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 260 We had a smooth Gale of Wind at West.
6. a. Of liquids, etc.: Having a uniform or even consistency; free from lumps or knots. † Also of light: Uniform, equable.
c1450Two Cookery-bks. 77 Take vinegre and wyne, & stepe þe brede therein, and drawe hit thorgh a streynour..til hit be smoth. 1655Stanley Hist. Philos. (1687) 189/2 The fiery light, which being smooth and in some manner thick, they conceived of kin to diurnal light. 1747–96H. Glasse Cookery xiv. 211 Pour it between two vessels, out of one into another, till it is quite smooth. 1846A. Soyer Cookery 588 Stir in the curdled sauce by degrees until the whole has become very smooth. 1872Harland Common Sense in Househ. 183 Put the flour and salt in a bowl, and add a little at a time of the water or milk, working it very smooth as you go on.
b. Of liquor: Soft or pleasing to the taste; free from sharpness or acidity.
1743Francis tr. Hor., Odes iii. xxi. 12 Corvinus, Guest divine, Bids me draw the smoothest Wine. 1746Ibid., Epist. i. xv. 26 At Sea-port Towns I shall expect to find My Wines of generous and of smoother Kind. 1896A. Austin England's Darling ii. i, More tuns of marsh water, I warrant, than combs of smooth ale.
7. a. Of looks, words, etc.: Pleasant, affable, polite; seemingly amiable or friendly; having a show of sincerity or friendliness.
The unfavourable sense is the more usual, as in next.
(a)13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1763 With smoþe smylyng & smolt þay smeten in-to merþe, Þat al was blis & bonchef [etc.]. 1606Dekker Seven Deadly Sins v. (Arb.) 36 They knew howe smooth soeuer his lookes were, there was a diuell in his bosome. 1681Dryden Abs. & Achit. 745 Colour'd with a smooth pretence Of specious love and duty. 1703Rowe Fair Penit. ii. i, With such smooth looks, and many a gentle Word The first fair She, beguil'd her easie Lord. 1784Cowper Task vi. 853 Where fashion shall not sanctify abuse, Nor smooth good-breeding..ape the work of love! 1823Scott Quentin D. xii, [Oliver spoke] in his smoothest manner, and in a tone more insinuating than that which he usually employed.
(b)1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 97 b, Softe wordes and smothe be to be mynystred to idiottes and fooles. c1590Greene Frier Bacon iii. 22, To sooth me up with such smooth flatterie. 1628in Cath. Tract. (S.T.S.) 272 Knox had withdrawne the harts of the people craftily from the Catholik faith, by his smoath language. 1704Trapp Abra-Mulé iii. i, I..with smooth Words Persuaded him t'intrust me with his Letter. 1754Washington Lett. Writ. (1889) 86, I doubt not but they will indeavour to amuse you with many smooth stories, as they did me. 1820Byron Mar. Fal. iii. i. 58, I cannot shape my tongue To syllable black deeds into smooth names. 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. vii. ix, The General..speaks vaguely some smooth words to the National President.
b. Of the tongue, or of persons: Speaking fair or smoothly; using specious or attractive language; plausible, bland, insinuating, flattering.
Usually with implication of insincerity or selfish designs, but occas. in a better sense.
(a)c1450Lydg. Secrees 675 Whysperyng tounges,..Smothe afore folk, to fawnyn and to shyne, And shewe two facys in oon hood. 1570Levins Manip. 230 A Smouth tong, lingua compta. 1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 79 This Leatherne Ierkin,..Smooth tongue. 1610Fletcher Faithf. Sheph. i. i, A Chastitie, That neither pleasing Age, smooth tongue, or Gold, Could ever break upon. 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. v. vii, Bertrand-Moleville has a smooth tongue,..gall in his heart. 1863G. J. Whyte-Melville Gladiators I. 32 She is not to be won by a smooth tongue and a beardless face.
(b)1592Timme Ten Eng. Lepers E iij b, These kinde of burnished and smooth fellowes do they know not what. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. v. iv. 46, I haue bin politicke with my friend, smooth with mine enemie. 1653More Antid. Ath. iii. xi. §2 That sly, smooth Physician, and faithful Patron of Witches. 1708Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) II. 103 A smooth Preacher, and a rank Whigg. 1781Cowper Friendship 23 That man, when smoothest he appears, Is most to be suspected. 1847Tennyson Princ. v. 376, I saw That equal baseness lived in sleeker times With smoother men. 1870Bryant Iliad I. iv. 119 He found the smooth of speech Nestor, the Pylian orator.
Comb.1606Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. 1. Tropheis 584 Those smooth-slie Aspicks, with their poysony sting Murder mine honor.
c. Superior, excellent, ‘classy’; clever, ‘neat’. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
1893W. K. Post Harvard Stories 210 ‘Well, you'll have a rattling good time down there.’ ‘A smooth time, you mean,’ corrected Rattleton. 1900Ade Fables in Slang 43 The Benevolent Lady..derived much Joy from the Knowledge that..People were..remarking..‘Say, ain't she the Smooth Article?’ 1924Wodehouse Bill the Conqueror iii. 82 How did you come to think of this stunt?.. It was the smoothest trick I ever heard of. 1942E. B. White Let. 31 Jan. (1976) 222 MacLeish looks a little like Doctor Devol, and he is some smooth poet. 1946Wodehouse Joy in Morning xxvi. 237 Smooth work, Uncle Percy... There can't be many fellows about with brains like yours. 1970C. Major Dict. Afro-Amer. Slang 106 Smooth, very adept; clever.
d. Of manners, dress, etc.: stylish, suave, chic. colloq.
Sometimes indistinguishable from senses 7 b and c.
1922Wodehouse Jill the Reckless xix. 285 ‘What charming manners Major Selby has. So polished... So smooth!’ ‘Smooth,’ said Mr. Pilkington dourly, ‘is right!’ 1924P. Marks Plastic Age xi. 99 A ‘smooth’ boy who prided himself on his conquests. Ibid. xvi. 168 These were the ‘smooth boys’, interested primarily in clothes and ‘parties’. 1942Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §233/10 Stylish; ‘chic’...smooth. 1944Chicago Tribune 10 Dec. (Grafic Mag.) 4 Watch those people whom you consider smooth; see how they dress. 1977[see sharp a. 7 b].
8. a. Of style or diction: Flowing gently or easily; nicely modulated; not harsh or rugged; polished.
1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xix. (Arb.) 207 And our speech is made melodious or harmonicall..by choise of smoothe words. 1665Boyle Occas. Refl. (1848) 342, I some times..tri'd my Pen in a smoother and more florid style. 1697Dryden Virg. Past. ix. 26 Who then shou'd sing the Nymphs, or who rehearse The Waters gliding in a smoother Verse! 1726Swift Gulliver ii. vii, Their style is clear, masculine, and smooth, but not florid. 1795–1814Wordsw. Excurs. vi. 522 Smooth verse, inspired by no unlettered Muse. 1874Chappell Hist. Music I. v. 99 Plato [described the Phrygian mode]..as smooth and fit for prayer.
b. Of writers: Having an easy, polished style.
1670Milton Hist. Eng. i. Wks. 1851 V. 11 Joseph of Exeter, the only smooth Poet of those times. 1805G. Ellis in Lockhart Scott (1837) II. i. 31 Indeed, who is so unequal as Dryden? It may be said that he was not intentionally so—but to be very smooth is very often to be tame.
9. Making smooth; producing smoothness.
a1596Sir T. More iv. iii, I haue had A smoothe courte shauing. 1706Phillips (ed. Kersey), Smooth Boiling of Sugar, (among Confectioners) is when the Sugar is Boil'd to such a Degree, that [etc.].
10. Free from disturbance or excitement.
1756Burke Subl. & B. Wks. I. 32 That smooth and voluptuous satisfaction which the assured prospect of pleasure bestows. 1807Wordsw. Personal Talk 48 Hence have I Smooth passions, smooth discourse, and joyous thought. 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. iv. iii, Majesties' Apartments closed in smooth rest.
11. Free from, unaccompanied by, obstruction, interruption, impediment, or difficulty. Also in phr. to make smooth.
1792Burke Corr. (1844) II. 371 If government is perfectly in earnest, every thing ought to be made smooth for them. 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. iii. iv, Consider too whether he had smooth times of it. 1884Manch. Exam. 21 May 5/3 The progress of the measure through Committee should..be fairly smooth and speedy. 1890Martineau Authority in Relig. i. i. 10 Except where the evolution was smooth and the order eternal.
12. Of sounds: Soft, not harsh or grating.
In quot. 1887 used to render L. tenuis.
1836Dubourg Violin ix. (1878) 267 It is not age, but constant use, that is the means of producing a smooth, clear tone. 1887Cook Sievers' OE. Gram. iii, c is the character for the smooth guttural and the smooth palatal.
13. a. Special collocations. smooth breathing: see breathing vbl. n. 9. smooth calf-skin (see quot.). smooth coat, a smooth-coated dog. smooth-file (see quots. 1875); hence smooth-file v. trans. smooth grace, Mus. (see quot.). smooth-head, Mining (see quot.). smooth mouth, the worn teeth without cusps found in horses more than seven or eight years old; so smooth-mouthed adj. † smooth-pate, a smooth-headed person; Obs. smooth-plane (see quots.). smooth-sayer, U.S., a smooth-tongued or plausible person.
1746*Smooth breathing [see breathing vbl. n. 9]. 1888King & Cookson Sound & Inflex. Gr. & Lat. 172 The prefix sm̥- (together) appears as ă- with a smooth breathing in ἀ-δελϕός.
1885C. G. W. Lock Workshop Rec. Ser. iv. 264/2 Coloured calf-skins may be bought almost as cheaply as ‘*smooth’ calf (uncoloured ones).
1890Daily News 10 Dec. 2/3 This is the best show..ever held by the club, especially of the *smooth coats.
1677Moxon Mech. Exerc. i. 15 The *Smooth file is to take out those cuts or file-stroaks that the fine file made. 1683Ibid., Printing xi. ⁋15 These Ribs must be purely Smooth-fil'd and Pollish'd. 1875Knight Dict. Mech. 2227/1 Smooth-file, 1. A finishing-file, whose teeth are of a grade of coarseness between the second-cut and the dead-smooth... 2. The rubbing-tool used by the needle-maker in pressing and rolling a pack of wires, cut for needles.
1659C. Simpson Division Violist 9 Graces done with the Fingers, are of two sorts: viz. *smooth and shaked.
1883Gresley Gloss. Coal-m. 228 *Smooth-heads. See Bright-heads [backs or slines].
1940Chambers's Techn. Dict. 560/2 Mouth, *smooth (Vet.). Smooth and polished grinding surface of the molar teeth of horses. 1955R. Hobson Nothing too Good vi. 51 Between eight and ten years of age..they [sc. horses] acquire what we call a smooth mouth.
1974H. S. Thomas Horses x. 183 At age nine the cusps are gone from the corner incisors. The horse is said to be *smooth-mouthed.
1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. ii. 43 The horson *smooth-pates doe now weare nothing but high shoes.
1875Knight Dict. Mech. 2227/2 *Smooth-plane, a smoothing or finishing-plane; the last used of the series of bench-planes. 1884Ibid. Suppl. 825/2 Smooth Plane, one the bit of which is set at a relatively more obtuse angle than that of a block plane.
1872C. D. Warner Backlog Studies 132, I should rather, ten times over, dispense with the flatterers and the *smooth-sayers than the grumblers.
b. In the names of animals, esp. fishes and reptiles, as smooth anemone, smooth blenny, smooth dab, smooth flounder, smooth hound, etc. (see quots.); smooth-head, a deep-sea fish belonging to the family Alepocephalidæ, resembling a herring with a larger body and dark-coloured skin.
1858G. H. Lewes Sea-side Stud. i. 16 The common *Smooth Anemone may be had not far from high-water mark in many places.
1769Pennant Brit. Zool. III. 169 The *Smooth Blenny..on the rocky coasts of Anglesea. 1881Cassell's Nat. Hist. V. 99 The Smooth Blenny (Blennius pholis) is commonly known as the Shanny.
1836Yarrell Brit. Fishes II. 221 The Lemon Dab, or *Smooth Dab, is not of such frequent occurrence as the common Rough Dab.
1884Goode Nat. Hist. Aquat. Anim. 183 The *Smooth Flounder..is very similar in habits and appearance to the Flat Fish.
1931J. R. Norman Hist. Fishes viii. 150 A species of *Smooth-head (Leptoderma) captured in the Bay of Bengal has been described as having the skin covered all over with a thick, opalescent, and uniformly luminous epidermis. 1969A. Wheeler Fishes Brit. Isles & N.-W. Europe 123 Smooth-heads..are deep-water relatives of the herring family. 1975Times 5 Dec. 12/3 Smooth-head is abundant, but..its flesh has the consistency of custard.
1603*Smooth hound [see hound n.1 5]. 1769Pennant Brit. Zool. III. 91 The Smooth Hound..is called smooth, not that the skin is really so, but because it wants the spines on the back.
1836Yarrell Brit. Fishes I. 9 The *Smooth Perch, Perca channus, a fish..frequently occurring on the coast of Cornwall.
Ibid., The *Smooth Serranus. Serranus cabrilla.
1713Jago in Ray's Syn. Pisc. 164 Cataphractus lævis Cornubiensis. *Smooth Shan. 1836Yarrell Brit. Fishes I. 230 The Shanny, or smooth Shan, blennius pholis.
Ibid. II. 393 Squalus mustelus, *Smooth shark.
1880Day Fishes Gt. Brit. I. 61 It is known as the Sapphirine gurnard..: sea crow:..*smooth sides.
1802Shaw Gen. Zool. III. ii. 515 *Smooth Snake,..Coronella Austriaca. 1897Bateman Vivarium 273 The Smooth Snake..is by far the most interesting of our three English snakes.
1769Pennant Brit. Zool. III. 191 The *Smooth Sole..is extremely thin, pellucid, and white. 1881Cassell's Nat. Hist. V. 69 The Scald-fish, or Megrim, or Smooth Sole (Arnoglossus laterna).
c. In the names of plants or trees, as smooth acanthus, smooth archangel, etc.
1812New Botanic Garden I. 2 Both the *Smooth and Prickly Acanthus are found to succeed in any common soil.
1822Hortus Angl. II. 88 Lamium Lævigatum. *Smooth Archangel.
1790W. H. Marshall Rur. Econ. Midl. II. 434 *Smooth Cadlock; brasica napus, wild rape.
1887G. Nicholson Dict. Gard. III. 446 *Smooth flower, a popular name for Leianthus longifolius, and other species.
1889J. H. Maiden Useful Pl. 554 Hedycarya angustifolia... ‘Native Mulberry’, ‘*Smooth Holly’.
1882F. B. Hough Elem. Forestry 239 The *Smooth Maple (Acer glabrum).
1859Miss Pratt Brit. Grasses 211 *Smooth Rock Spleenwort.
1882F. B. Hough Elem. Forestry 297 The *Smooth Sumach (Rhus glabra).
14. With ns. used attributively, as smooth-face, smooth-tongue. See also smooth-bore 2.
1600Rowlands Lett. Humours Blood xii. 18 Therfore for the smooth-face cut he calles. a1700Evelyn Diary 12 Feb. 1686, Lawyers..whereof one was the smooth-tong Solicitor. 1894Westm. Gaz. 12 Apr. 3/3 Some are in handsome smooth-face cloth.
15. a. Comb. Forming parasynthetic adjs., as smooth-bellied, smooth-browed, smooth-cheeked, smooth-chinned, etc.
Only a few of the earlier or more important examples of this type are given.
1607Lingua iii. ii, And your *smooth-bellied..drones are never without him.
1612Drayton Poly-olb. iii. 122 The *smooth-brow'd Plain..doth bid The lark to leave her bow'r.
1633Ford 'Tis Pity i. iii, All that *smooth-cheek'd virtue could advise. 1927V. Woolf in Nation & Athenæum Aug. 661/2 One of those smooth-cheeked, steady-eyed men.
1623Massinger Dk. Milan ii. i, The *smooth-chinned courtiers are abroad.
1696Lond. Gaz. No. 3243/4 Lost,..a Liver colour and white Spaniel Setting Dog,..*smooth Coated. 1886C. Scott Sheep-Farm. 198 Amongst the smooth-coated beauties in the kennel..[is] ‘Lady Help’.
1634Milton Comus 86 His soft Pipe, and *smooth-dittied Song.
1668Wilkins Real Charac. 78 That of *smooth edged leaves: or that whose leaves are..curled or waved about the edges.
1923D. H. Lawrence Birds, Beasts & Flowers 41 Fig-trees, weird fig-trees Made of thick, smooth silver..Thick, *smooth-fleshed silver.
1598B. Jonson Ev. Man. in Hum. v. i, Lets all be *smooth fore headed once agayne.
Ibid. ii. ii, That land..Which to *smooth-fronted peace is most procliue.
1697Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 631 Nor Box, nor Limes,..*Smooth-grain'd, and proper for the Turner's Trade. 1963Times 16 May 16/1 Viennese singers are frequently smooth-grained in comparison with their Italian colleagues.
1634Milton Comus 716 Millions of spinning Worms, That in their green shops weave the *smooth-hair'd silk. 1871M. Legrand Cambr. Freshman 30 A smooth-haired terrier.
1930W. B. Yeats Wild Apples 23 And land and strand and all are fair As that *smooth-lined up-tilted boat From which the Foam-Born Queen stept out.
1605Marston Dutch Courtezan sig. Hv, But yet when my discourse hath staide your quaking, You will be *smoother lipt. 1862G. M. Hopkins Vision of Mermaids (1929), Or on the swell Tugg'd the boss'd, smooth-lipp'd, giant, Strombus-shell.
1656Cowley Misc., Elegie upon Anacreon 21 The *smooth-pac'd Hours of every day Glided numerously away. a1941V. Woolf Captain's Death Bed (1950) 151 A large, smooth-paced cart horse.
1923E. Sitwell Bucolic Comedies 29 *Smooth-perfumèd stephanotis.
1918W. de la Mare Motley 72 The *smooth-plumed bird.
1883‘Mark Twain’ Life on Miss. xxv. 274 The Devil's Tea Table..a great *smooth-surfaced mass of rock. 1967M. Clark in Coast to Coast 1965–6 34 Fluffy, bouncy balls and not those smooth-surfaced..ones.
1832Tennyson Œnone 93 Naked they came to the *smooth-swarded bower.
1834J. S. Knowles Beggar of Bethnal Green iii. (Rtldg.) i. 380 The *smoothest-temper'd fellow in Christendom.
b. In the specific names of birds, fishes, etc.
1787Latham Gen. Synop. Birds Suppl. I. 67 *Smooth-billed Toucan. 1829Griffith tr. Cuvier VII. 467 Smooth-billed Barbican, Pogonias Levirostris.
1752J. Hill Hist. Anim. 306 The *smooth-bodied Raia.
Ibid. 125 The lesser, *smooth-clouded..Cochlea.
1781Latham Gen. Synop. Birds I. i. 118 *Smooth-legged Eared Owl,..having the legs bare of feathers.
1752J. Hill Hist. Anim. 154 The yellow, gibbose, *smooth-mouthed Porcellana.
1831Griffith tr. Cuvier IX. Syn. 37 *Smooth-necked Guana, Iguana Delesatissima.
1752J. Hill Hist. Anim. 28 The *smooth-nosed Shrimp. 1893Lydekker Roy. Nat. Hist. I. 474 The Smooth-nosed Mungooses.
1836Yarrell Brit. Fishes I. 81 The *Smooth-tailed Stickleback, in which the lateral plates extend no farther than the ends of the rays of the pectoral fin.
c1880Cassell's Nat. Hist. IV. 91 The second sub-family of the Hirundinidæ.—*Smooth-winged Swallows.
c. In the specific names of plants or trees.
1889J. H. Maiden Useful Pl. 441 The former [was called] by the colonists ‘Rough-barked Bloodwood’, and the latter ‘*Smooth-barked Bloodwood’. Ibid. 476 The ‘Smooth-barked Ironbark’ from Brisbane.
a1722Lisle Husb. (1757) 240 Gramen cristatum..is in English called *smooth-crested grass.
1887G. Nicholson Dict. Gard. III. 35 Buckeye; *Smooth-fruited Horse Chestnut.
1822Hortus Angl. II. 7 Long *Smooth-headed Poppy.
1815J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 587 A small species of vetch, called the *smooth-podded tare. 1822Hortus Angl. II. 160 Biscutella Lævigata. Smooth podded Buckler Mustard.
1815J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 621 *Smooth-stalked meadow-grass thrives best in dry situations.
1854H. Miller Sch. & Schm. (1858) 398 The prevailing vegetable is the *smooth-stemmed tangle—Laminaria saccharina.
▪ III. smooth, adv.|smuːð|
Also 5 smothe.
[f. prec.]
1. Smoothly, in various senses.
1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 177 This worthy lorde began to smothe lagh. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. i. i. 134 The course of true loue neuer did run smooth. 1593― 2 Hen. VI, iii. i. 53 Smooth runnes the Water, where the Brooke is deepe. c1655Milton Sonn. xx, Time will run On smoother, till Favonius re-inspire The frozen earth. 1746Francis tr. Hor., Sat. i. x. 62 Smooth flow his Lines, and elegant his Style. 1799Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) IV. 41, I well know your conciliating manners will make every thing go smooth.
2. Comb.
a. With pa. pples. used attributively or predicatively, as smooth-bedded, smooth-combed, smooth-cut, etc.
1793Smeaton Edystone L. §148 The third step..*smooth bedded... And the sixth smooth bedded, and all the dove⁓tails roughed out.
1579North Plutarch, Cæsar (1612) 739 Those fat men and *smooth combed heads.
1818Scott Rob Roy xiv, As I paced along the *smooth-cut velvet walks.
1631Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 778 White *smooth hewen Asheler stone.
1598Marston Sco. Villanie i. iii. 180 His perfum'd she-goat *smooth-kemb'd and high fed.
1955E. Pound Classic Anthol. i. 49 Double teams matched, *smooth-oiled reins.
1854tr. Pereira's Polarized Light 17 When a beam of light falls on a *smooth-polished surface.
1916D. H. Lawrence Amores 102 A new night pouring down shall swill Us away in an utter sleep, until We are one, *smooth-rounded.
1799Wordsw. Poet's Epitaph 29 One to whose *smooth-rubbed soul can cling Nor form, nor feeling.
1820Keats Eve of St. Agnes xxxiii, Upon his knees he sank, pale as *smooth-sculptured stone.
1632Milton Penseroso 66, I walk unseen On the dry *smooth-shaven Green. 1865Kingsley Herew. xii, The Flemings..prided themselves on their civilised and smooth-shaven chins.
1958R. Graves Steps 249 There are some words carry a curse with them: *Smooth-trodden, abstract, slippery vocables.
1920A. Huxley Leda 14 *Smooth-worn silver, polished through the years. 1922Joyce Ulysses 525 Lifting your billowy flounces on the smooth-worn throne.
1756Dyer Fleece iv. 86 Copious webs arrive, *Smooth wov'n, of other than Britannia's Fleece.
1678J. Norris Misc. (1699) 37 Who with a *smooth-wrought Pipe shall play the Song.
b. With pres. pples., as smooth-flowing, smooth-gliding, smooth-going, smooth-rolling, smooth-running, smooth-sliding, smooth-weeping, etc.
1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. vi. ii, Parliamentary Eloquence, in bursts, or in plenteous *smooth-flowing floods.
1603Daniel Def. Rhime G v b, We admire them not for their *smooth-gliding words.
1882Black Shandon Bells xvi, The Hansom (..was not quite so *smooth-going as that of Dr. Bude).
1823Hazlitt Liber Amoris iii. 156 Thousands of years of *smooth-rolling eternity and balmy, sainted repose.
1917‘Contact’ Airman's Outings v. 117 The *smooth-running ambulances bring broken soldiers. 1941J. Masefield Gautama the Enlightened 14 The black-bright, smooth-running..typewriting machine. 1977J. P. Anderson in Douglas & Johnson Existential Sociol. vi. 186 To make the screening interview a smooth-running interaction, the patient has to be able to talk about the topics the screening worker thinks are important.
1598Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. i. Eden 117 That never gutter-gorging durty muds Defil'd the chrystall of *smooth-sliding floods. 1637Milton Lycidas 86 Smooth-sliding Mincius, crown'd with vocall reeds.
1606Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. ii. Magnificence 682 *Smooth-soothing vows, deep sorrows soon appeas'd.
1753Young Brothers i. i, *Smooth-speaking, insincere, insulting boy!
1944E. Sitwell Green Song 10 The amber blood of the *smooth-weeping tree.
1743Francis tr. Hor., Odes i. ii. 20 Th' uxorious River glides away,..*smooth-winding to the Sea.
▪ IV. smooth, v.|smuːð|
Forms: 4 smoþe, 5–6 smothe; 6 smouthe; 5, 7, 9 smoothe, 6– smooth.
[f. smooth a., taking the place of the earlier smēðen smeeth v. The earliest instance occurs in sense 4 a.]
I.
1. a. trans. To make (a surface or substance) smooth, even, or level; to remove or reduce the roughness, irregularity, inequality, or unevenness of; to give a smooth or glossy surface to.
c1440Pallad. on Husb. iv. 430 Of the claue Is best an handful greet..Er eyther ende ysmothed is to haue. 1495Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. iii. xiv. (W. de W.) 58 This vertue informatiua thyrllyth what shall be thirlled, and smotheth what is rough. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 58 It surpasseth..all images of the caruer or grauer smothed and fined with his chosen instruments. 1595Shakes. John iv. ii. 13 To smooth the yce, or adde another hew Vnto the Raine-bow. 1630Drayton Muses Eliz. Nymphal vii. 102 Here be fine night Maskes, plastred well within, To supple wrinckles, and to smooth the skin. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 261 Let the weighty Rowler run the round, To smooth the Surface of th' unequal Ground. 1726Swift Gulliver i. viii, His Majesty's ship carpenters..helped me in smoothing them after I had done the rough work. 1763Mills Pract. Husb. IV. 217 The head of the stock being cut off and smoothed. 1823Scott Quentin D. Introd., An immense assiêtte of spinage, not smoothed into a uniform surface. 1881H. James Portr. Lady xxxv, Rosier got up, and stood smoothing his hat.
absol.1611Bible Isaiah xli. 7 The carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer, him that smote the anuill.
fig.1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. ii. 97 What tongue shall smooth thy name, When I thy three houres wife haue mangled it. 1850Blackie æschylus I. 200 Time, that smooths All things, hath smoothed the front of my offence.
b. To iron (linen, etc.). Now dial.
1617Moryson Itin. iii. 172 They have little skill in washing, starching, or smoothing linnen. 1654Nicholas P. (Camden) II. 58 The girle at that present..being smoothing of Lynnen. 1755Johnson, Heater, an iron made hot, and put into a box-iron, to smooth and plait linnen. 1828–in dial. glossaries and texts (Yks., Lancs., Linc., Derby., etc.).
c. To cause (feathers, hair, etc.) to lie smooth and even. Also in fig. context.
1634Milton Comus 251 How sweetly did they float upon the wings Of silence,..At every fall smoothing the Raven doune Of darknes till it smil'd. 1784Cowper Task v. 692 To smooth The shag of savage nature. 1859Tennyson Elaine 345 There to his proud horse Lancelot turn'd, and smooth'd The glossy shoulder. 1879Froude Cæsar viii. 81 Sylla himself had to smoothe the ruffled plumes of his aspiring follower.
d. transf. To reduce to a simple vowel.
1894Sweet Anglo-Sax. Rdr. (ed. 7) p. xxiv, In Angl. c(x), h, g..‘smooth’ a preceding diphthong.
e. To transform or modify (a graph, distribution, or function) so as to make it smooth; to lessen irregularities or fluctuations in (something that can be represented by a graph). Cf. sense 11 c below.
1889F. Galton Natural Inheritance vii. 100 These [relations] came out distinctly after I had ‘smoothed’ the entries. 1898Knowledge 1 Oct. 235/1 Then the thirteen year series of these numbers is smoothed with averages of four. 1934Brit. Jrnl. Psychol. Oct. 249 The theoretical periodogram was..made to conform... It was therefore smoothed per ten units, thus making it resemble a curve of old log. units. 1962D. F. Shaw Introd. Electronics x. 203 The performance of the diode rectifier is improved by the use of a filter circuit to smooth the output. 1979Sci. Amer. May 52/3 This generalization is strictly statistical, because our analysis has smoothed the gas distribution... It does not rule out the existence of isolated patches of vigorous star formation.
2. a. To make (a way) easy or plain; to free from obstruction, difficulty, or impediment. Chiefly in fig. contexts.
1582Stanyhurst æneis iii. (Arb.) 83 Thee fats thee passage shal smooth. 1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, i. ii. 65, I would remoue these tedious stumbling blockes, And smooth my way vpon their headlesse neckes. 1628Earle Microcosm., Graue Diuine (Arb.) 24 Hee counts it not profanenesse..to smooth his way by Aristotle to Schoole-diuinitie. 1695Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth i. (1723) 41 The more effectualy to smooth my Way. 1717Pope Eloïsa 322 Thou, Abelard! the last sad office pay, And smooth my passage to the realms of day. 1779Mirror No. 32, A qualification extremely useful for smoothing a man's way through the world. 1865Burritt Walk to Land's End 99 Intending to smoothe the way to matrimonial happiness. 1882J. H. Blunt Ref. Ch. Eng. II. 249 His earliest work was to smooth the way for Cardinal Pole's return to England.
b. To diminish or clear away (an obstruction, difficulty, etc.).
1599Shakes. Hen. V, ii. ii. 188 We doubt not now, But euery Rubbe is smoothed on our way. 1867M. E. Herbert Cradle L. v. 147 Those who had so kindly..smoothed for her all the difficulties of her journey.
3. To render (the brow) free from wrinkles, lines, frowns, etc., by natural effort; to invest with, replace by, a calm or placid expression. Also in fig. context.
1593Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. vi. 32 Good fortune bids vs pause, And smooth the frownes of War, with peacefull lookes. 1594― Rich. III, i. i. 9 Grim-visag'd Warre, hath smooth'd his wrinkled Front. 1602Marston Ant. & Mel. iii. Wks. 1856 I. 36 How I clap my hands, and smooth my brow! 1671Milton P.R. ii. 164 To..smooth the rugged'st brow. 1743Francis tr. Hor., Odes iii. xxix. 24 Such Scenes have charm'd the Pangs of Care, And smooth'd the clouded Forehead of Despair. 1825Scott Talism. ix, The Grand Master,..on exchanging a glance with the Marquis, smoothed his frowning brow as well as he could. 1895G. Meredith Odes Fr. Hist. 28 She smoothed a startled look.
refl.1819Scott Leg. Montrose vi, The deep-knit furrows of his brow relaxed and smoothed themselves.
4. a. To make smooth, plausible, or specious.
1340Ayenb. 57 Hit biualþ þet þe speche is grat zenne uor þet hi deþ grat kuead þaȝ hy by uayre and ysmoþed. c1600? Shakes. Pass. Pilgr. 306 And when thou comest thy tale to tell, Smooth not thy tongue with filed talk. 1621T. Williamson tr. Goulart's Wise Vieillard 66 She will deliuer him from the strange woman, which smootheth her words. 1653Milton Ps. v. 28 An open grave their throat, their tongue they smooth.
b. To refine (a person or his manners); to free from rudeness or rusticity. ? Obs.
1644Milton Educ. Wks. 1851 IV. 391 The solemn and divine harmonies of Musick..have a great power over dispositions and manners, to smooth and make them gentle from rustick harshness. 1749Chesterfield Lett. cxcviii. (1792) II. 246, I am very glad that you like good company so well. I already imagine that you are a little smoothed by it. Ibid. cxcix. 250 Such a share of them left, as may contribute to smooth and polish you.
c. To render smooth to the ear; to polish.
1667Milton P.L. v. 626 Harmonie Divine So smooths her charming tones, that Gods own ear Listens delighted. 1697Dryden Virgil Note on æneid ix. 853–4 Both verses are very rough; but of choice; for it had been easy for me to have smoothed them. 1724L. Welsted Epist., etc. 43 Great Spencer first..Smoothed our old Metre, and refined our Lays. 1754Cowper Ep. R. Lloyd 74 Matthew..with endless pains Smooth'd and refin'd the meanest strains.
†5.
a. To use smooth, flattering, or complimentary language to (a person). Obs. (Cf. 9 a.)
1591Greene Maiden's Dr. ix, The poor he smooth'd, the proud he kept in awe. 1592Kyd Sp. Trag. ii. i, Slie deceits smooth Bel-imperias eares. 1623Camden Rem. (1637) 162 A scholler smoothed him with this foolish allusion. 1670Cotton Espernon iii. xi. 572 Some expressions of Civility, and Complement, to smooth him withal, at his departure. 1718Hickes & Nelson Kettlewell i. xxi. 44 He could Smooth or Flatter none upon any Consideration whatsoever.
†b. absol. To be smooth or plausible in one's language or bearing to others. Obs.
1587Mirr. Mag., Sir N. Burdet iii, Fortunes guyle, Which smirking though at first, she seeme to smoothe and smyle. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, i. iii. 48 Because I cannot flatter,..Smile in mens faces, smooth, deceiue, and cogge. a1618Sylvester Job Triumphant i. 823 Or, ween you, smoothing, these Deceits to smother?
†c. So to smooth it. Obs.
1583Babington Commandm. (1590) 427 We must smooth it, and sooth it, and carrie two faces vnder one hoode. 1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, ii. i. 22 Pernitious Protector, dangerous Peere, That smooth'st it so with King and Common-weale.
d. refl. To put on smooth ingratiating airs.
1868W. Cory Lett. & Jrnls. (1897) 251 At the worst, I never smoothed myself for Belial or for Mammon.
6. a. To allay, assuage, mitigate the force of (passion, trouble, etc.).
1589Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 23 The King thus smoothing the heate of his cares. 1605Shakes. Lear ii. ii. 81 Such smiling rogues as these..smooth euery passion That in the natures of their Lords rebell. 1667Milton P.L. iv. 120 Whereof hee soon aware, Each perturbation smooth'd with outward calme, Artificer of fraud.
absol.1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. ii. vi, All is dissolution, mutual rancour, gloom and despair: till National Assembly Commissioners..gradually levelling, strive in all wise ways to smooth and soothe.
b. To render (the mind, etc.) calm or tranquil; to soothe.
1604Earl Stirling Crœsus v. ii, What could the world afford, or man affect, Which did not smooth my soule. 1633G. Herbert Temple, Nature iii, O smooth my rugged heart, and there Engrave thy rev'rend law and fear. 1830Tennyson Leonine Elegiacs, The ancient poetess singeth, that Hesperus all things bringeth, Smoothing the wearied mind. 1859Dickens T. Two Cities ii. v, What has roughened your temper? Put some punch to it and smooth it again.
7. To hush up, gloss over, make less conspicuous or offensive.
1592Kyd Sp. Trag. iii. x, This that I did was for a policie, To smooth and keepe the murder secret. 1593Shakes. Rich. II, i. iii. 240 (Q.1), Oh had't beene a stranger,..To smooth his fault I should haue beene more milde. 1697Prideaux Life Mahomet (1716) 125 Which raising a great Noise, and many being offended with him for it, to smooth the matter again, he hath recourse to his old Art.
8. intr. To become smooth, calm, or tranquil.
1837Lockhart Scott lxiv. (1845) 570/1 Mrs. Coutts's brow smoothed, and..she was as..easy as ever she was in her life. 1860All Year Round No. 66. 384 Once within the friendly shelter of the pier, the water smoothed rapidly. 1864J. H. Newman Apol. 241, I trust that things are smoothing now.
II. With advs. and preps.
9. trans. With up:
†a. To flatter, encourage.
1584B. R. tr. Herodotus ii. 100 b, Hector,..whome it behoued not to smooth vp his brother in hys filthy leachery. 1593G. Harvey New Lett. Wks. (Grosart) I. 275 He that neither cockereth himselfe, nor loueth to be lulled, or smoothed-up of freindes. 1652Bp. Hall Invis. World iii. §5 He smooths us up in the good opinion of our own gracious disposition.
†b. To cover or hush up; to conceal. Obs.
1592Greene Def. Conny Catch. Wks. (Grosart) XI. 92 Al things was smoothed vp so cunningly, yt he suspected nothing lesse then y⊇ reuenge intended against him. a1661B. Holyday Juvenal (1673) 12 She..went to her husband with much flattery,..to smooth-up the matter.
†c. To contrive smoothly. Obs.—1
1603Daniel Def. Rhime G v b, To delight an exterior sense, wee smoothe vp a weake confused sense.
d. To polish up, improve.
1760–2Goldsm. Cit. W. lii. (Globe) 171 A squire from the country..desirous of..smoothing up the rudiments of his rural minuet.
10. With over:
†a. To win over, appease. Obs.—1
1608Topsell Serpents (1658) 708 For the Dragon being smoothed over with these gifts,..was contented to forsake the old place.
b. To make smooth or smoother in some way, esp. by the removal of a difficulty.
1611Cotgr., Calendré,..sleeked, or smoothed ouer. 1809Malkin Gil Blas xiii. vi. ⁋ 4 They were politic enough to smooth over the corrugations of their contempt. 1820Byron Mar. Fal. iv. i. 75 The high moon..Serenely smoothing o'er the lofty walls Of those tall piles and sea-girt palaces. 1873Black Pr. Thule xxv. 418 These minor inconveniences were soon smoothed over.
c. To gloss over, minimize.
1684Baxter Cath. Comm. 40 By hiding, or smoothing over publick sins. 1827Scott Surg. Dau. v, This he smoothed over to his conscience. 1852Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom xxiv. 233 There was something about her that Eva never could make out; and she always smoothed it over with thinking that, after all, it was mamma.
11. With out:
a. To take out, remove (a fold or crease) by pressure or rubbing.
1683Moxon Printing xxiv. ⁋15 As he comes to a Token⁓sheet, he..smooths out the Crease with the back-side of the Nails of his Right Hand. 1815Scott Guy M. xxx, He has had a hard task replacing the folios.., smoothing out the creases and dogs-ears. 1847C. Brontë J. Eyre xxix, The creases left by the wet [were] smoothed out.
b. To spread out smoothly or evenly. Also, = sense 1 a.
1859Jephson Brittany ii. 19 Some batter, which she smoothed out with a wooden spoon until it was of about the thickness of a pancake. 190020th Ann. Rep. U.S. Geol. Surv. II. 196 A belt of country marked by landslide topography which was gradually smoothed out, owing to the decay and erosion of the fallen blocks of basalt.
c. = sense 1 e above; also, to lessen (irregularities or fluctuations) in something which can be described by a graph, esp. a time series.
1933Econometrics I. 238 An elaborately weighted moving function..prevents the resulting curve from smoothing out fluctuations. 1945L. A. Maverick Time Series Analysis p. vii, In smoothing out the monthly cycle..Wardwell's moving cyclical average of changing length is used. 1957Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 432/1 By the provision of storage facilities at the source and of the main aqueduct service reservoirs, these various fluctuations [in demand] can be smoothed out. 1962A. Nisbett Technique Sound Studio i. 30 At the ‘back’ [of the microphone] the response is fairly flat—the effect of the pad being to smooth out the peak. 1971Sci. Amer. Oct. 69/1 Tests of nuclear weapons have shown that atmospheric mixing is rapid and that irregularities in composition are smoothed out after a few years. 1978Daily Tel. 6 Jan. 17 The Americans will be very reluctant to do more than smooth out fluctuations in the exchange rate.
12. With down:
a. To make smooth by pressing down. Also in fig. context.
1687Miége Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., To smooth down with the Nail, as Taylors and Seamstresses do. 1768Burke Corr. (1844) I. 150 However,..I am to see him to-morrow, and will smooth down the feathers. 1816Scott Old Mort. xxxvii, She had an infant in one arm, and with the other she smoothed down her apron. 1847Tennyson Princ. ii. 432 One In this hand held a volume as to read, And smoothed a petted peacock down with that.
b. intr. To become smooth by settling down.
1884Field 6 Dec. (Cassell), The falls were smoothing down.
13. With off, away, etc. (See quots.).
1680Otway Orphan ii. i, The superstitious States-man has his sneer To smooth a poor man off with that can't bribe him. 1784Cowper Tiroc. 560 Th' indented stick, that loses day by day Notch after notch, till all are smooth'd away. 1819Shelley Peter Bell 3rd vii. iii. 5 From his mean front..Smoothing away the unmeaning furrows. 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. vi. viii A moment,—which one had to smooth off with oratory. 1893‘Q.’ (Quiller Couch) Delectable Duchy 25 Their wives smoothed all intelligence out of their faces as soon as I began to hint at it. |