smile
/smʌɪl
/verb [no object]
1Form one’s features into a pleased, kind, or amused expression, typically with the corners of the mouth turned up and the front teeth exposed: she was smiling broadly he smiled at Shelley (as adjective smiling) smiling faces...
- The auntie in front turned back and smiled at me while I smiled back sheepishly.
- His eyes twinkled and when he smiled, his teeth looked bigger and whiter than ever.
- He looked me straight in the eyes and smiled, showing a mouth only half full of teeth.
Synonyms
grin, beam, grin like a Cheshire cat, grin from ear to ear, twinkle
informal be all smiles
1.1 [with object] Express (a feeling) by smiling: he smiled his admiration of the great stone circle...
- Clarissa smiled her appreciation of the statement but didn't comment on her flattery anymore.
- I smiled my appreciation as she left and then sunk back into the seat feeling weak.
- He smiled a friendly hello, but did not offer his assistance in any other way.
1.2 (smile at/on/upon) Regard favourably or indulgently: at first fortune smiled on him...
- Kenton was eventually booked for another crude lunge at Paul Weller but Ternent knew fortune was smiling on the defender when he got away with a blatant shove on Robbie Blake five minutes before the break.
- Neither side had won a game this season, but fortune smiled on SCU Yellow, who now climb off the bottom of the ladder and move clear of the unlucky Eagles.
- Fortune is smiling on you because you will come into an inheritance.
1.3 (often as adjective smiling) literary (Especially of landscape) have a bright or pleasing aspect: smiling groves and terraces...
- It was the moment where my old skin was shed, and my new scales shimmered in the bright yellow smiling sun.
- You will find a smiling landscape, a refined gastronomy, personalized rooms and a gentle way of life.
- The Elysian Fields have smiling groves, grass that is always green, the weather is always fine. No one is ever unhappy or ill.
noun
A pleased, kind, or amused facial expression, typically with the corners of the mouth turned up and the front teeth exposed: he flashed his most winning smile she greeted us all with a smile...
- His shimmering bright blue eyes glittered at me from a tanned face, a warm smile showing a row of white teeth.
- We're also researching how to interpret facial expressions - smiles and frowns - and how to read eyes.
- She gave him the winning smile, which now crinkled her middle-aged face.
Synonyms
grin, beam;
smirk, simper;
leer
Phrases
be all smiles
come up smiling
Derivatives
smiler
- If you're a smiler then you're going to do well in the subway.
- People call her smiler because that's what she does most.
- She's a real smiler and her big blue eyes follow you around the room.
smilingly
/ adverb ...- It is now the beginning of a new chapter,’ she smilingly says.
- She assures us that everything is under control: ‘This is a dispute between governments’, she says smilingly, ‘and the foreign teachers are still our friends’.
- When I was in Prague last month, not only did the clean buses, trams and trains run regularly and link up with each other, but as soon as we climbed aboard, youngsters would leap up and smilingly wave us to their seats.
Origin
Middle English: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; related to smirk.
Smile may be of Scandinavian origin and related to Old English smirk. Smirk's early sense was ‘to smile’ but it later gained a notion of smugness or silliness.