Forms: 1 smoð, 4 smoþe, 4–6 smothe, 5 smoth; 4 smuth, 5 smvythe; 5 smowth, 6 smouth(e, 7 smoath(e; 6–7 smoothe, 6– smooth. [OE. smóð, found only once (the usual form being sméðe SMEETH a.), and not clearly represented in any of the cognate languages.]
1. Having a surface free from projections, irregularities or inequalities; presenting no roughness or unevenness to the touch or sight.
In the first example the sense is ‘unruffled, serene.’
a. 1050. Liber Scintill., i. (1889), 6. Se þe mid soðre lufe full ys mid smyltum mode … & mid smoþestum andwlitum forðstæpþ.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 6. So smal, so smoþe her sydez were.
a. 1366[?]. Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 542. Hir fleshe tendre as is a chike With bent browis, smothe and slyke.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 461/1. Smoths, pleyne, planus. Ibid., Smothe, or softe, lenis.
a. 1470. H. Parker, Dives & Pauper, X. vi. (W. de W., 1496), 379/2. The basynet … is … made slyke and smothe that shot may soone glyde of.
1530. Palsgr., 324/2. Smothe as a borde is that is well planed, hony.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 143. My smooth moist hand … Would in thy palm dissolve.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 67. Women of elegant beauties, for the most part ruddy, cleare, and smooth as the polished iuory.
1682. K. Digby, Chym. Secr., II. 171. Cast this Matter upon a smooth stone.
1763. Goldsm., Misc. Wks. (1837), II. 493. These inequalities serve the better to grind … their food, but they grow smoother with age.
1779. Mirror, No. 11. 42. We are not, therefore, to wonder if the smooth enamel of the gentleman has received some little injury from the collision of such coarse materials.
1835. J. Duncan, Beetles (Nat. Lib.), 148. It is … of a black colour, rather smooth and glossy.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, V. 70. Brows as pale and smooth As those that mourn … In deathless marble.
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, lxiv. 48. Smooth ivory glossy from Indies.
absol. 1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., III. xxi. (W. de W.), 67. For the vertue of groping the soule knowith … nesshe and hard, smothe and rough.
b. Free from hairs or bristles.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 690. No berd hadde he,… As smothe it was as it were late shaue.
1535. Coverdale, Gen. xxvii. 11. Beholde, my brother Esau is rough, and I am smooth.
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, Glaber, smooth without heare.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), V. 6. On their under side they are thin and smooth, but their upper outer edge is parted into two hairy edges.
1783. Marshall, in Phil. Trans., LXXIII. 221. The caterpillar … is of a jetty black, smooth as to a privation of hair, but covered with innumerable wrinkles.
c. Bot. Of leaves, etc.: ‘Free from asperities or hairs, or any sort of unevenness’ (Lindley).
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 88/2. Bacchar hath a long smooth leaf.
1776. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., 379. Lævis, smooth, free from Protuberances or Inequalities.
1796. Withering, Brit. Pl. (ed. 3), II. 356. Leaves flat and smooth.
1834. Penny Cycl., II. 11/2. A perennial plant … having one or two smooth … leaves.
1861. Bentley, Man. Bot., 593. The Gentian Order…. Usually smooth herbs.
2. Of ground, ways, etc.: Not rugged, rough or broken; free from obstructions; easy to traverse. Also in fig. contexts.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., II. § 29. Lat thyn Astrelabie kowch adown euene vpon a smothe grond.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., V. viii. 525. Whanne the sitter knowith weel the same ambuler be … redi into stumbling, thouȝ the wey be smothe and euen.
1526. Tindale, Luke iii. 5. The rought wayes shalbe made smoth.
1644. Milton, Educ., Wks. 1851, IV. 383. The right path of a vertuous … Education; laborious indeed at the first ascent, but else so smooth,… so full of goodly prospect.
1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., 256. Our Fortune rolls as from a smooth Descent.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1851), II. 598. The traitor led him by a way that was smooth and easy at first.
1847. G. P. R. James, Woodman, iii. The road was … sandy enough, in all conscience, and not so smooth as it might have been.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 291. Hesiod … says that the road to wickedness is smooth and very short.
† b. To make smooth work of, to level with the ground, to demolish. Obs.–1
1616. J. Lane, Contn. Sqr.’s T., VIII. 433. Biddes battries all, and musketes wholie shoote, and make smoothe worke of th’ seaun mountes and the towne.
3. Of water, the sea, etc.: Not broken or turbulent; free from big waves or roughness; running or flowing evenly, calmly or gently.
Smooth chance or spell, a stretch of calm water in a rough sea.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., I. metr. ii. (1868), 8. Þe causes whennes þe soundyng wyndes moeuen … þe smoþe water of þe see.
14[?]. Lydgate, Churl & Bird, xxvii. Smothe waters been ofte tyme depe.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 34. The Sea being smooth, How many shallow bauble Boates dare saile Vpon her patient brest!
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 450. While smooth Adonis from his native Rock Ran purple to the Sea.
1743. Bulkeley & Cummins, Voy. S. Seas, 106. It being smooth Water, she work’d very well.
1754. Gray, Poesy, 8. Now the rich stream of music winds along Deep, majestic, smooth, and strong.
1817. Shelley, Rev. Islam, XII. xix. A river deep, which flies with smooth but arrowy speed.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, v. Seeing what he thought was a ‘smooth spell,’ [he] started to go forward. Ibid., xxv. Watching for a ‘smooth chance.’
1877. L. Morris, Epic of Hades, II. 101. Summer sea, Which gently heaved, and surged, and kissed the ledge With smooth warm tides.
b. Of a passage, voyage, etc.: Accompanied by or performed in good weather.
Common in recent colloq. use.
4. Of wind or weather: Not rough or stormy; agreeable, pleasant. Now rare.
c. 1402. Lydg., Compl. Bl. Knt., 57. The eyre attempre, and the smothe wind Of Zepherus, among the blossomes whyte. Ibid. (c. 1430), Minor Poems (Percy Soc.), 3. The ayre attempered, the wyndes smowth and playne.
1610. Fletcher, Faithf. Sheph., I. i. Air … as fresh and sweet, As where smooth Zephyrus plays on the fleet Face of the curled Streams.
1700. S. L., trans. Fryke’s Voy. E. Ind., 260. We had a smooth Gale of Wind at West.
5. Of liquids, etc.: Having a uniform or even consistency; free from lumps or knots. † Also of light: Uniform, equable.
c. 1450. Two Cookery-bks., 77. Take vinegre and wyne, & stepe þe brede therein, and drawe hit thorgh a streynour … til hit be smoth.
1655. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1687), 189/2. A fiery light, which being smooth and in some manner thick, they conceived of kin to diurnal light.
1747–96. Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, xiv. 211. Pour it between two vessels, out of one into another, till it is quite smooth.
1846. Soyer, Cookery, 588. Stir in the curdled sauce by degrees until the whole has become very smooth.
1872. Harland, Common Sense in Househ., 183. Put the flour and salt in a bowl, and add a little at a time of the water or milk, working it very smooth as you go on.
b. Of liquor: Soft or pleasing to the taste; free from sharpness or acidity.
1743. Francis, trans. Horace, Odes, III. xxi. 12. Corvinus, Guest divine, Bids me draw the smoothest Wine. Ibid. (1746), Epist., I. xv. 26. At Sea-port Towns I shall expect to find My Wines of generous and of smoother Kind.
1896. A. Austin, England’s Darling, II. i. More tuns of marsh water, I warrant, than combs of smooth ale.
6. Of looks, words, etc.: Pleasant, affable, polite; seemingly amiable or friendly; having a show of sincerity or friendliness.
The unfavorable sense is the more usual, as in next.
(a) 13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1763. With smoþe smylyng & smolt þay smeten in-to merþe, Þat al was blis & bonchef [etc.].
1606. Dekker, Seven Deadly Sins, v. (Arb.), 36. They knew howe smooth soeuer his lookes were, there was a diuell in his bosome.
1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., 745. Colour’d with a smooth pretence Of specious love and duty.
1703. Rowe, Fair Penit., II. i. With such smooth looks, and many a gentle Word The first fair She, beguil’d her easie Lord.
1784. Cowper, Task, VI. 853. Where fashion shall not sanctify abuse, Nor smooth good-breeding … ape the work of love!
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xii. [Oliver spoke] in his smoothest manner, and in a tone more insinuating than that which he usually employed.
(b) 1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 97 b. Softe wordes and smothe be to be mynystred to idiottes and fooles.
c. 1590. Greene, Frier Bacon, iii. 22. To sooth me up with such smooth flatterie.
1628. in Cath. Tract. (S.T.S.), 272. Knox had withdrawne the harts of the people craftily from the Catholik faith, by his smoath language.
1704. Trapp, Abra-Mulé, III. i. I … with smooth Words Persuaded him t’intrust me with his Letter.
1754. Washington, Lett., Writ. (1889), 86. I doubt not but they will indeavour to amuse you with many smooth stories, as they did me.
1820. Byron, Mar. Fal., III. i. 58. I cannot shape my tongue To syllable black deeds into smooth names.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. VII. ix. The General … speaks vaguely some smooth words to the National President.
b. Of the tongue, or of persons: Speaking fair or smoothly; using specious or attractive language; plausible, bland, insinuating, flattering.
Usually with implication of insincerity or selfish designs, but occas. in a better sense.
(a) c. 1450. Lydg., Secrees, 675. Whysperyng tounges,… Smothe afore folk, to fawnyn and to shyne, And shewe two facys in oon hood.
1570. Levins, Manip., 230. A Smouth tong, lingua compta.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. iv. 79. This Leatherne Ierkin,… Smooth tongue.
1610. Fletcher, Faithf. Sheph., I. i. A Chastitie, That neither pleasing Age, smooth tongue, or Gold, Could ever break upon.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. V. vii. Bertrand-Moleville has a smooth tongue,… gall in his heart.
1863. Whyte-Melville, Gladiators, I. 32. She is not to be won by a smooth tongue and a beardless face.
(b) 1592. Timme, Ten Eng. Lepers, E iij b. These kinde of burnished and smooth fellowes do they know not what.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., V. iv. 46. I haue bin politicke with my friend, smooth with mine enemie.
1653. H. More, Antid. Ath., III. xi. § 2. That sly, smooth Physician, and faithful Patron of Witches.
1708. Hearne, Collect. (O. H. S.), II. 103. A smooth Preacher, and a rank Whigg.
1781. Cowper, Friendship, 23. That man, when smoothest he appears, Is most to be suspected.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, V. 376. I saw That equal baseness lived in sleeker times With smoother men.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, I. IV. 119. He found the smooth of speech Nestor, the Pylian orator.
Comb. 1606. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. I. Tropheis, 584. Those smooth-slie Aspicks, with their poysony sting Murder mine honor.
7. Of style or diction: Flowing gently or easily; nicely modulated; not harsh or rugged; polished.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xix. (Arb.), 207. And our speech is made melodious or harmonicall … by choise of smoothe words.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl. (1848), 342. I some times … tri’d my Pen in a smoother and more florid style.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., IX. 26. Who then shou’d sing the Nymphs, or who rehearse The Waters gliding in a smoother Verse!
1726. Swift, Gulliver, II. vii. 132. Their Stile is clear, masculine, and smooth, but not florid.
1795–1814. Wordsw., Excurs., VI. 522. Smooth verse, inspired by no unlettered Muse.
1874. W. Chappell, Hist. Music, I. v. 99. Plato [described the Phrygian mode] … as smooth and fit for prayer.
b. Of writers: Having an easy, polished style.
1670. Milton, Hist. Eng., I. Wks. 1851, V. 11. Joseph of Exeter, the only smooth Poet of those times.
1805. G. Ellis, in Lockhart, Scott (1837), II. i. 31. Indeed, who is so unequal as Dryden? It may be said that he was not intentionally so—but to be very smooth is very often to be tame.
8. Making smooth; producing smoothness.
a. 1596. Sir T. More, IV. iii. I haue had A smoothe courte shauing.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Smooth Boiling of Sugar, (among Confectioners) is when the Sugar is Boil’d to such a Degree, that [etc.].
9. Free from disturbance or excitement.
1756. Burke, Subl. & B., Wks. I. 32. That smooth and voluptuous satisfaction which the assured prospect of pleasure bestows.
1807. Wordsw., Personal Talk, 48. Hence have I Smooth passions, smooth discourse, and joyous thought.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. IV. iii. Majesties’ Apartments closed in smooth rest.
10. Free from, unaccompanied by, obstruction, interruption, impediment or difficulty. Also in phr. to make smooth.
1792. Burke, Corr. (1844), II. 371. If government is perfectly in earnest, every thing ought to be made smooth for them.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. III. iv. Consider too whether he had smooth times of it.
1884. Manch. Exam., 21 May, 5/3. The progress of the measure through Committee should … be fairly smooth and speedy.
1890. Martineau, Authority in Relig., I. i. 10. Except where the evolution was smooth and the order eternal.
11. Of sounds: Soft; not harsh or grating.
In quot. 1887 used to render L. tenuis.
1836. Dubourg, Violin, ix. (1878), 267. It is not age, but constant use, that is the means of producing a smooth, clear tone.
1887. Cook, Sievers’ OE. Gram., 111. c is the character for the smooth guttural and the smooth palatal.
12. Special collocations.
Smooth calf-skin (see quot.). Smooth coat, a smooth-coated dog. Smooth-file (see quots. 1875); hence smooth-file v. trans. Smooth grace, Mus. (see quot.). Smooth-head, Mining (see quot.). † Smooth-pate, a smooth-headed person; Obs. Smooth-plane (see quots.). Smooth-sayer, U.S., a smooth-tongued or plausible person.
1885. C. G. W. Lock, Workshop Rec., Ser. IV. 264/2. Coloured calf-skins may be bought almost as cheaply as *‘smooth’ calf (uncoloured ones).
1890. Daily News, 10 Dec., 2/3. This is the best show … ever held by the club, especially of the *smooth coats [of the St. Bernard dog].
1677. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., i. 15. The *Smooth file is to take out those cuts or file-stroaks that the fine file made. Ibid. (1683), Printing, xi. ¶ 15. These Ribs must be purely Smooth-fil’d and Pollish’d.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2227/1. Smooth-file. 1. A finishing-file, whose teeth are of a grade of coarseness between the second-cut and the dead-smooth.… 2. The rubbing-tool used by the needle-maker in pressing and rolling a pack of wires, cut for needles.
1659. C. Simpson, Division Violist, 9. Graces done with the Fingers, are of two sorts: viz. *smooth and shaked.
1883. Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, 228. *Smooth-heads.… See Bright-heads [backs or slines].
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. ii. 43. The horson *smooth-pates doe now weare nothing but high shoes.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2227/2. *Smooth-plane. A smoothing or finishing-plane; the last used of the series of bench-planes. Ibid. (1884), Suppl. 825/2. Smooth Plane, one the bit of which is set at a relatively more obtuse angle than that of a block plane.
1872. C. D. Warner, Backlog Studies, 141. I should rather, ten times over, dispense with the flatterers and the *smooth-sayers than the grumblers.
b. In the names of animals, esp. fishes and reptiles, as smooth anemone, blenny, dab, flounder, hound, etc. (see quots.).
1858. G. H. Lewes, Sea-side Stud., i. 16. The common *Smooth Anemone … may be had not far from high-water mark in many places.
1769. Pennant, Brit. Zool., III. 169. The *Smooth Blenny … on the rocky coasts of Anglesea.
1881. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., V. 99. The Smooth Blenny (Blennius pholis) is commonly known as the Shanny.
1836. Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, II. 221. The Lemon Dab, or *Smooth Dab, is not of such frequent occurrence as the common Rough Dab.
1884. Goode, Nat. Hist. Aquat. Anim., 183. The *Smooth Flounder … is very similar in habits and appearance to the Flat Fish.
1603. *Smooth hound [see HOUND sb.1 5].
1769. Pennant, Brit. Zool., III. 91. The Smooth Hound … is called smooth, not that the skin is really so, but because it wants the spines on the back.
1836. Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, I. 9. The *Smooth Perch, Perca channus, a fish … frequently occurring on the coast of Cornwall. Ibid. The *Smooth Serranus. Serranus cabrilla.
1713. Jago, in Ray’s Syn. Pisc., 164. Cataphractus lævis Cornubiensis. *Smooth Shan.
1836. Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, I. 230. The Shanny, or smooth Shan, blennius pholis. Ibid., II. 393. Squalus mustelus, *Smooth shark.
1880. Day, Fishes Gt. Brit., I. 61. It is known as the Sapphirine gurnard…: sea crow:… *smooth sides.
1802. Shaw, Gen. Zool., III. II. 515. *Smooth Snake,… Coronella Austriaca.
1897. G. C. Bateman, Vivarium, 273. The Smooth Snake … is by far the most interesting of our three English snakes.
1769. Pennant, Brit. Zool., III. 191. The *Smooth Sole … is extremely thin, pellucid, and white.
1881. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., V. 69. The Scald-fish, or Megrim, or Smooth Sole (Arnoglossus laterna).
c. In the names of plants or trees, as smooth acanthus, archangel, etc.
1812. New Botanic Garden, I. 2. Both the *Smooth and Prickly Acanthus are found to succeed in any common soil.
1822. Hortus Anglicus, II. 88. Lamium Lævigatum. *Smooth Archangel.
1790. W. H. Marshall, Rur. Econ. Midl., II. 434. Cadlock, *Smooth; brasica napus; wild rape.
1887. G. Nicholson, Dict. Gard., III. 446. *Smooth flower, a popular name for Leianthus longifolius, and other species.
1889. Maiden, Useful Pl., 554. Hedycarya angustifolia.… ‘Native Mulberry,’ *‘Smooth Holly.’
1882. F. B. Hough, Elem. Forestry, 239. The *Smooth Maple (Acer glabrum).
1859. Miss Pratt, Brit. Grasses, 211. *Smooth Rock Spleenwort.
1882. F. B. Hough, Elem. Forestry, 297. The *Smooth Sumach (Rhus glabra).
13. With sbs. used attributively, as smooth-face, -tongue. See also SMOOTH-BORE 2.
1600. Rowlands, Lett. Humours Blood, xii. 18. Therfore for the smooth-face cut he calles.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 12 Feb. 1686. Lawyers … whereof one was the smooth-tong Solicitor.
1894. Westm. Gaz., 12 April, 3/3. Some are in handsome smooth-face cloth.
14. Comb. Forming parasynthetic adjs., as smooth-bellied, -browed, -cheeked, -chinned, etc.
Only a few of the earlier or more important examples of this type are given.
1607. Lingua, III. ii. And your *smooth-bellied … drones are never without him.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., iii. 122. The *smooth-brow’d Plain … doth bid The lark to leave her bow’r.
1633. Ford, ’Tis Pity, I. iii. All that *smooth-cheek’d virtue could advise.
1623. Massinger, Dk. Milan, II. i. The *smooth-chin’d Courtiers are abroad.
1696. Lond. Gaz., No. 3243/4. Lost,… a Liver colour and white Spaniel Setting Dog,… *smooth Coated.
1886. C. Scott, Sheep-Farming, 198. Amongst the smooth-coated beauties in the kennel are ‘Lady Help,’ never yet beaten, and ‘Gazelle,’ also a very choice young bitch.
1634. Milton, Comus, 86. His soft Pipe, and *smooth-dittied Song.
1668. Wilkins, Real Charac., 78. That of *smooth edged leaves: or that whose leaves are … curled or waved about the edges.
1598. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., V. i. Lets all be *smooth fore headed once agayne. Ibid., II. ii. That land … Which to *smooth-fronted peace is most procliue.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 631. Nor Box, nor Limes,… *Smooth-grain’d, and proper for the Turner’s Trade.
1634. Milton, Comus, 716. Millions of spinning Worms, That in their green shops weave the *smooth-hair’d silk.
1871. ‘M. Legrand,’ Cambr. Freshm., 30. A smooth-haired terrier.
1656. Cowley, Misc., Elegie upon Anacreon, 21. The *smooth-pac’d Hours of every day Glided numerously away.
1832. Tennyson, Œnone, 93. Naked they came to the *smooth-swarded bower.
1834. J. S. Knowles, Beggar of Bethnal Green, III. (Rtldg.), I. 380. The *smoothest-temper’d fellow in Christendom.
b. In the specific names of birds, fishes, etc.
1787. Latham, Gen. Synop. Birds, Suppl. I. 67. *Smooth-billed Toucan.
1829. Griffith, trans. Cuvier, VII. 467. Smooth-billed Barbican, Pogonias Levirostris.
1752. J. Hill, Hist. Anim., 306. The *smooth-bodied Raia. Ibid., 125. The lesser, *smooth-clouded … Cochlea.
1781. Latham, Gen. Synop. Birds, I. I. 118. *Smooth-legged Eared Owl,… having the legs bare of feathers.
1752. J. Hill, Hist. Anim., 154. The yellow, gibbose, *smooth-mouthed Porcellana.
1831. Griffith, trans. Cuvier, IX. Syn. 37. *Smooth-necked Guana, Iguana Delesatissima.
1752. J. Hill, Hist. Anim., 28. The *smooth-nosed Shrimp.
1893. Lydekker, Roy. Nat. Hist., I. 474. The Smooth-nosed Mungooses.
1836. Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, I. 81. The *Smooth-tailed Stickleback, in which the lateral plates extend no farther than the ends of the rays of the pectoral fin.
c. 1880. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., IV. 91. The second sub-family of the Hirundinidæ.—*Smooth-winged Swallows.
c. In the specific names of plants or trees.
1889. Maiden, Useful Pl., 441. The former [was called] by the colonists ‘Rough-barked Bloodwood,’ and the latter *‘Smooth-barked Bloodwood.’ Ibid., 476. The ‘Smooth-barked Ironbark’ from Brisbane.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 280. Gramen cristatum…. It is in English called *smooth-crested grass.
1887. G. Nicholson, Dict. Gard., III. 35. Buckeye; *Smooth-fruited Horse Chestnut.
1822. Hortus Anglicus, II. 7. Long *Smooth-headed Poppy.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 587. A small species of vetch, called the *smooth-podded tare.
1822. Hortus Anglicus, II. 160. Biscutella Lævigata. Smooth podded Buckler Mustard.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 621. *Smooth-stalked meadow-grass thrives best in dry situations.
1854. H. Miller, Sch. & Schm. (1858), 398. The prevailing vegetable is the *smooth-stemmed tangle—Laminaria saccharina.
