Latterly Sc. and † north. Forms: α. 2–5 smeke, 3 smec, 4 smek, 5–6 smeik, 5, 8– smeek. β. 2–4 smike, 5 smyk(e. [The more northern forms representing OE. sméc and smíc, smýc: see SMEECH sb. and SMITCH sb.1]

1

  1.  Smoke arising from burning or smoldering matter; reek. Also in fig. context.

2

  Also in mod. Sc. use, ‘a strong or foul smell.’

3

  α.  c. 1200.  Ormin, 1088. Þær wass swa mikell smec Off recless att tatt allterr.

4

c. 1250.  Moral Ode, 9, in E. E. P. (1862), 22. Ne myht ic isen be-fore me for smeke ne for myste.

5

c. 1325.  Metr. Hom., 104. Rekeles … gifs smek that smelles wele, And fer men mai the smek fele.

6

1382.  Wyclif, Exod. xix. 18. The smeek steyde vp of it as of a furneys.

7

1412–20.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. 191. But inwarde brent of hate … The hoote fyre, & ȝit ther was no smeke.

8

c. 1440.  Pallad. on Husb., VII. 69. Yf the smeke Perpetuel vppon their dwellyng reke.

9

c. 1590.  Montgomerie, Sonn., xxv. 2. I grein to sie the sillie smiddy smeik.

10

a. 1774.  Fergusson, Farmer’s Ingle, Poems (1845), 35. Heathery truffs the chimney fill And gar their thickening smeek salute the lift.

11

1785.  Burns, Vision, iii. The spewing reek, That fill’d, wi’ hoast-provoking smeek, The auld clay biggin.

12

1874.  W. Allan, Hame-Spun Lilts, 160. An’ troth wi’ smeek, I thocht they’d baith been smored.

13

  β.  a. 1200.  Moral Ode, in O. E. Hom., I. 161. Ne michte ich seon bi-fore me for smike ne for miste.

14

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 2742. Þe smike it reches to þe scki.

15

c. 1440.  Pallad. on Husb., XI. 362. Let vessel hit, & sette hit vp in smyke.

16

c. 1460.  Promp. Parv. (Winch.), 459. Smore with smyk, fumigo.

17

  b.  In pl. Also in fig. context.

18

a. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 129. Hwanene cumeð manies kennes smekes of unþolemodnesse.

19

c. 1400.  Sc. Trojan War, II. 856. With quhilk birnyng now it reikis, As wele apperis by þe smeikis.

20

c. 1420.  Avow. Arth., xv. So nyȝe discumford was hee, For smelle other smekis.

21

  2.  attrib. and Comb., as smeek-house; -like adj.

22

a. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 129. Ðe þu wunest on ðe smec-huse of ðine likame.

23

a. 1400.  Stockh. Med. MS., ii. 951, in Anglia, XVIII. 330. Dun-red is his flour, Þe erþe smek lik in colour.

24