Latterly Sc. and † north. Forms: 1 smeocan, 2 smeken, 5 smekyn; 3–4 smeke, 9 smeak, smeik, 9– smeek. [OE. sméocan str. vb. (pa. t. sméac), = MDu. smieken (rare), G. dial. smiechen, related by ablaut to OE. smocian SMOKE v. and to MDu. smōken, G. schmauchen. Perh. also partly repr. OE. smécan, smícan: cf. prec.]
1. intr. To emit smoke; to reek; to send out or give off steam or vapor. Also in fig. context.
a. 1000. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 244. Fumigabunt, smeocaþ.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Exod. xix. 18. Eall Sinai munt smeac [L. fumabat].
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., I. 338. Heortes mearh ʓebærned oð þæt hyt smeoce.
c. 1325. Prose Ps. ciii. 32. Þe which toucheþ þe mounteyns, and hij shul smoken [v.r. smeke].
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. 4380. For hatred olde to brenne can nat lete With newe flawme…; Ȝif it nat smeke, it is þe more to drede.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 460/2. Smekyn, or smokyn, fumo, fumigo. Ibid., Smekyn, or smokyn as hote lycure, vaporo.
2. trans. To apply smoke or fumes to, esp. in order to cleanse, cure, dry, etc.; to fumigate.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., I. 352. Wið cyrnla sare, smeoc þone man mid gate hærum.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xlix. (Thecla), 111. Þe fire þat ves dycht to bryne me, to brule & smeke.
1808. Jamieson, Smeik, Smeek, to dry by smoke.
1815. Pennecuik’s Tweeddale, 90, note. Smeeking our heads o’er the fire a’ winter.
1882. Jamieson’s Sc. Dict., IV. 303/1. To smeek fish, i.e. to cure them. Ibid., 303/2. To smeek yarn, to smeek the room.
b. To suffocate (bees), to drive out (an animal), by means of smoke.
1816. Scott, Bl. Dwarf, xviii. Elshie’s skeps o’ bees … shall ne’er be smeekit by ony o’ huz. Ibid. (1821), Pirate, xxxv. My bees were as dead as if they had been smeaked.
1882. Jas. Walker, Jaunt to Auld Reekie, 219. Smeek in his hole the snoozing badger.
† 3. To scent with incense; to cense. Obs.–1
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xxiv. 21. And as torax, and galban, and vngula,… I smekede my dwelling; and as balsame not mengd is my smel.
Hence Smeeked, Smeeking ppl. adjs.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xii. 20. Smeocende [Hatt. smekende] flex he ne adwæscþ.
13[?]. in Reliq. Antiq., I. 240. Swarte smekyd smethes smateryd with smoke.
