[f. SMILE v.]
1. The action of the verb; an instance of this, a smile. Also transf. and fig.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xli. (Agnes), 129. Scho … at his vordis mad smylyng in manere of scornyng.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 119. A Nonne … That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 461/1. Smylynge, subrisus.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 230. I turne it in a tender luke,… And him behaldis hamely, with hertly smyling.
1553. Bale, Vocacyon, 27. They flonge vp their cappes … with smylinges and laughinges most dissolutely.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. vii. 167. The beere will be sower for the Suns smiling on it.
17[?]. Ramsay, Marriage of Lord G., vi. Wks. 1877, II. 218. I’ll study thy delight … And … Fix throughout life a constant smiling.
1771. Junius Lett., xlix. (1788), 268. May the gift of smiling never depart from him!
1812. Cary, Dante, Parad., III. 24. Wonder not thou … at this my smiling.
attrib. a. 1500. Chaucer’s Dreme, in Speght (1598), 359/1. That smiling signe Was token that the hart encline Would to requests reasonable.
2. U.S. Drinking, tippling.
1858. in Bartlett, Dict. Amer. (1859), 420. There are many more fast boys about—some devoted to the sex—some to horses—some to ‘smiling.’
1864. Reader, 9 April, 451/3. Tobacco-chewing, and stump-oratory, and smiling (the new Yankee phrase for liquoring-up).
