Also 5–6 smorch, 7 smerch, smyrch. [app. ad. OF. esmorcher to torment, torture (as by the application of hot metal), with slight transference of sense.]
1. trans. Of things: To make dirty, soil, sully or discolor (something) by contact or touch.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., XVI. lxxx. 579. Leed hathe a manere nesshnes, and smorcheth his honde that towchyth it.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 77. The stalke therof broken, smorcheth them that touche it all with yealow.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 267–8. Chaos and ragg’d stone Smircht with blacke Pumice, there reioyce, ore-growne With mournfull Cypresse.
1791. Cowper, Odyss., XIX. 12 [Weapons] smirch’d and sullied by the breath of fire. Ibid., Iliad, XXIII. 338. A cauldron of four measures, dever smirch’d By smoke or flame.
1805–6. Cary, Dante, Inf., XV. 26. His parch’d looks … smirch’d with fire.
1834. Taylor, Philip van Artevelde, I. v. Twinkles the re-illuminated star, And all is out of sight that smirched the ray.
1844. Hood, Workho. Clock, 28. Dingy with smoke … And smirch’d besides with vicious soil.
1894. Sala, London up to Date, I. vii. The rain beats down on the smoke, and the smoke on the fog; and all three … smirch your face and hands.
b. To tan (the face). rare–1.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, x. The sun was high, It smirch’d her cheek, it dimm’d her eye.
2. Of persons (or animals): To stain, smear or befoul (the face, person, etc.) with or by means of something dirty or having staining properties. Also refl. and with adjectival complement.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. iii. 114. Ile put my selfe in poore and meane attire, And with a kinde of vmber smirch my face.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 215. By chance his dog … smerched his lips with the tincture.
1853. Arnold, Sohrab & Rustum, 711. He seiz’d … the dust which lay around, And threw it on his head, and smirch’d his hair.
1865. Kingsley, Herew., II. xi. 166. I will go … and smirch myself brown with walnut-leaves.
3. transf. To cast discredit or disgrace upon (a person, his honor, etc.); to bring into ill-repute; to taint or tarnish. Said of actions, etc., or of persons.
(a) 1820. Scott, Monast., xxv. In public opinion, their names will be smirched and sullied with a stain which his tardy efforts cannot entirely efface.
1878. Jefferies, Gamekeeper at H., 216. Their infamy spreads abroad, smirching the whole class to which they belong.
1887. T. A. Trollope, What I remember, II. x. 173. Those lower thoughts as well as lower passions which smirch the human soul.
(b.) 1856. Ayton, Bothwell, I. xv. They durst not so have wronged their blood, And smirched their fair renown.
1870. Dixon, Tower, II. xxxi. 319. No man’s name … had yet been smirched by Carr.
1885–94. R. Bridges, Eros & Psyche, March, xix. He changeth dynasties, and on the head Of duteous heroes … Smircheth the laurel that can never die.
Hence Smircher; Smirching vbl. sb.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., VIII. xvii. 327. He [sc. the moon] semyth not wemmyd wyth noo specles and smorchynge.
1862. T. A. Trollope, Marietta, ii. Unrevealed smirchings of noble names.
1888. Scottish Leader, 11 July, 4. There will soon not be a place left in his character on which the amateur smircher may operate.
