Forms: 4 smoþe, 5–6 smothe; 6 smouthe; 5, 7, 9 smoothe, 6– smooth. [f. SMOOTH a., taking the place of the earlier smēðen SMEETH v. The earliest instance occurs in sense 4 a.]
I. 1. trans. To make (a surface or substance) smooth, even or level; to remove or reduce the roughness, irregularity, inequality or unevenness of; to give a smooth or glossy surface to.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., IV. 430. Of the claue Is best an handful greet … Er eyther ende ysmothed is to haue.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., III. xiv. (W. de W.), 58. This vertue informatiua thyrllyth what shall be thirlled, and smotheth what is rough.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 58. It surpasseth … all images of the caruer or grauer smothed and fined with his chosen instruments.
1595. Shaks., John, IV. ii. 13. To smooth the yce, or adde another hew Vnto the Raine-bow.
1630. Drayton, Muses Eliz., Nymphal vii. 102. Here be fine night Maskes, plastred well within, To supple wrinckles, and to smooth the skin.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 261. Let the weighty Rowler run the round, To smooth the Surface of th’ unequal Ground.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, I. viii. 141. His Majesty’s Ship-Carpenters … helped me in smoothing them, after I had done the rough Work.
1763. Mills, Pract. Husb., IV. 217. The head of the stock being cut off and smoothed.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., Introd. An immense assiêtte of spinage, not smoothed into a uniform surface.
1881. H. James, Portr. of Lady, xxxvi. 317. Rosier got up, and stood smoothing his hat.
absol. 1611. Bible, Isaiah xli. 7. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anuill.
fig. 1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. ii. 97. What tongue shall smooth thy name, When I thy three houres wife haue mangled it.
1850. Blackie, Æschylus, I. 200. Time, that smooths All things, hath smoothed the front of my offence.
b. To iron (linen, etc.). Now dial.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 172. They have little skill in washing, starching, or smoothing linnen.
1654. Nicholas P. (Camden), II. 58. The girle at that present … being smoothing of Lynnen.
1755. Johnson, Heater, an iron made hot, and put into a box-iron, to smooth and plait linnen.
1828–. in dial. glossaries and texts (Yks., Lancs., Linc., Derby, etc.).
c. To cause (feathers, hair, etc.) to lie smooth and even. Also in fig. context.
1634. Milton, Comus, 251. How sweetly did they float upon the wings Of silence,… At every fall smoothing the Raven doune Of darknes till it smil’d.
1784. Cowper, Task, V. 692. To smooth The shag of savage nature.
1859. Tennyson, Elaine, 345. There to his proud horse Lancelot turn’d, and smooth’d The glossy shoulder.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, viii. 81. Sylla himself had to smoothe the ruffled plumes of his aspiring follower.
d. transf. To reduce to a simple vowel.
1894. Sweet, Anglo-Sax. Rdr. (ed. 7), p. xxiv. In Angl. c (x), h, g … ‘smooth’ a preceding diphthong.
2. To make (a way) easy or plain; to free from obstruction, difficulty or impediment. Chiefly in fig. contexts.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 83. Thee fats thee passage shal smooth.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., I. ii. 65. I would remoue these tedious stumbling blockes, And smooth my way vpon their headlesse neckes.
1628. Earle, Microcosm., Graue Diuine (Arb.), 24. Hee counts it not profanenesse … to smooth his way by Aristotle to Schoole-diuinitie.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, I. (1723), 41. The more effectualy to smooth my Way.
1717. Pope, Eloïsa, 322. Thou, Abelard! the last sad office pay, And smooth my passage to the realms of day.
1779. Mirror, No. 32. 126. A qualification extremely useful for smoothing a man’s way through the world.
1865. E. Burritt, Walk to Land’s End, 99. Intending to smoothe the way to matrimonial happiness.
1882. J. H. Blunt. Ref. Ch. Eng., II. 249. His earliest work was to smooth the way for Cardinal Pole’s return to England.
b. To diminish or clear away (an obstruction, difficulty, etc.).
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., II. ii. 188. We doubt not now, But euery Rubbe is smoothed on our way.
1867. Lady Herbert, Cradle L., v. 147. Those who had so kindly and courteously smoothed for her all the difficulties of her journey.
3. To render (the brow) free from wrinkles, lines, frowns, etc., by natural effort; to invest with, replace by, a calm or placid expression. Also in fig. context.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. vi. 32. Good fortune bids vs pause, And smooth the frownes of War, with peacefull lookes. Ibid. (1594), Rich. III., I. i. 9. Grim-visag’d Warre, hath smooth’d his wrinkled Front.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., III. Wks. 1856, I. 36. How I clap my hands, and smooth my brow!
1671. Milton, P. R., II. 164. To … smooth the rugged’st brow.
1743. Francis, trans. Horace, Odes, III. xxix. 24. II. 141.
| Such Scenes have charm’d the Pangs of Care, | |
| And smooth’d the clouded Forehead of Despair. |
1825. Scott, Talism., ix. The Grand Master,… on exchanging a glance with the Marquis, smoothed his frowning brow as well as he could.
1895. G. Meredith, Odes Fr. Hist., 28. She smoothed a startled look.
refl. 1819. Scott, Leg. Montrose, vi. The deep-knit furrows of his brow relaxed and smoothed themselves.
4. a. To make smooth, plausible or specious.
1340. Ayenb., 57. Hit biualþ þet þe speche is grat zenne uor þet hi deþ grat kuead þaȝ hy by uayre and ysmoþed.
c. 1600. ? Shaks., Passionate Pilgr., 306. And when thou comest thy tale to tell, Smooth not thy tongue with filed talk.
1621. T. Williamson, trans. Goulart’s Wise Vieillard, 66. She will deliuer him from the strange woman, which smootheth her words.
1653. Milton, Ps. v. 28. An open grave their throat, their tongue they smooth.
b. To refine (a person or his manners); to free from rudeness or rusticity. ? Obs.
1644. Milton, Educ., Wks. 1851, IV. 391. The solemn and divine harmonies of Musick … have a great power over dispositions and manners, to smooth and make them gentle from rustick harshness.
1749. Chesterf., Lett., cxcviii. (1792), II. 246. I am very glad that you like good company so well. I already imagine that you are a little smoothed by it. Ibid., cxcix. 250. Such a share of them left, as may contribute to smooth and polish you.
c. To render smooth to the ear; to polish.
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 626. Harmonie Divine So smooths her charming tones, that Gods own ear Listens delighted.
1697. Dryden, Virgil, Note on Æneid IX. 853–4. Both verses are very rough; but of choice; for it had been easy for me to have smoothed them.
1724. L. Welsted, Epist., etc. 43. Great Spencer first … Smoothed our old Metre, and refined our Lays.
1754. Cowper, Ep. R. Lloyd, 74. Matthew … with endless pains Smooth’d and refin’d the meanest strains.
† 5. To use smooth, flattering or complimentary language to (a person). Obs. (Cf. 9 a.)
1591. Greene, Maiden’s Dr., ix. The poor he smooth’d, the proud he kept in awe.
1592. Kyd, Sp. Trag., II. i. Slie deceits smooth Bel-imperias eares.
1623. Camden, Rem. (1637), 162. A scholler smoothed him with this foolish allusion.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, III. XI. 572. Some expressions of Civility, and Complement, to smooth him withal, at his departure.
1718. Hickes & Nelson, J. Kettlewell, I. xxi. 44. He could Smooth or Flatter none upon any Consideration whatsoever.
† b. absol. To be smooth or plausible in one’s language or bearing to others. Obs.
1587. Mirr. Mag., Sir N. Burdet, iii. Fortunes guyle, Which smirking though at first, she seeme to smoothe and smyle.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 48. Because I cannot flatter,… Smile in mens faces, smooth, deceiue, and cogge.
a. 1618. Sylvester, Job Triumphant, I. 823. Or, ween you, smoothing, these Deceits to smother?
† c. So to smooth it. Obs.
1583. Babington, Commandm. (1590), 427. We must smooth it, and sooth it, and carrie two faces vnder one hoode.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., II. i. 22. Pernitious Protector, dangerous Peere, That smooth’st it so with King and Common-weale.
d. refl. To put on smooth ingratiating airs.
1868. W. Cory, Lett. & Jrnls. (1897), 251. At the worst, I never smoothed myself for Belial or for Mammon.
6. a. To allay, assuage, mitigate the force of (passion, trouble, etc.).
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 23. The King thus smoothing the heate of his cares.
1605. Shaks., Lear, II. ii. 81. Such smiling rogues as these … smooth euery passion That in the natures of their Lords rebell.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 120. Whereof hee soon aware, Each perturbation smooth’d with outward calme, Artificer of fraud.
absol. 1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. II. vi. All is dissolution, mutual rancour, gloom and despair: till National Assembly Commissioners … gradually levelling, strive in all wise ways to smooth and soothe.
b. To render (the mind, etc.) calm or tranquil; to soothe.
1604. Earl Stirling, Crœsus, V. ii. What could the world afford, or man affect, Which did not smooth my soule.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Nature, iii. O smooth my rugged heart, and there Engrave thy rev’rend law and fear.
1830. Tennyson, Leonine Elegiacs. The ancient poetess singeth, that Hesperus all things bringeth, Smoothing the wearied mind.
1859. Dickens, T. Two Cities, II. v. What has roughened your temper? Put some punch to it and smooth it again.
7. To hush up, gloss over, make less conspicuous or offensive.
1592. Kyd, Sp. Trag., III. x. This that I did was for a policie, To smooth and keepe the murder secret.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. iii. 240 (Q.1). Oh had’t beene a stranger,… To smooth his fault I should haue been more milde.
1697. Prideaux, Life Mahomet (1716), 125. Which raising a great Noise, and many being offended with him for it, to smooth the matter again, he hath recourse to his old Art.
8. intr. To become smooth, calm or tranquil.
1837. Lockhart, Scott, lxiv. (1845), 570/1. Mrs. Coutts’s brow smoothed, and … she was as … easy as ever she was in her life.
1860. All Year Round, No. 66. 384. Once within the friendly shelter of the pier, the water smoothed rapidly.
1864. J. H. Newman, Apologia, 241. I trust that things are smoothing now.
II. With advs. and preps.
9. trans. With up: † a. To flatter, encourage.
1584. B. R., trans. Herodotus, II. 100 b. Hector,… whome it behoued not to smooth vp his brother in hys filthy leachery.
1593. G. Harvey, New Lett. Notable Contents, B 3 b. He that neither cockereth himselfe, nor loueth to be lulled, or smoothed-vp of freindes.
1652. Bp. Hall, Invis. World, III. § 5. He smooths us up in the good opinion of our own gracious disposition.
† b. To cover or hush up; to conceal. Obs.
1592. Greene, Def. Conny Catch, Wks. (Grosart), XI. 92. Al things was smoothed vp so cunningly, yt he suspected nothing lesse then ye reuenge intended against him.
a. 1661. Holyday, Juvenal (1673), 12. She … went to her husband with much flattery,… to smooth-up the matter.
† c. To contrive smoothly. Obs.–1
1603. Daniel, Def. Rhime, G v b. To delight an exterior sense, wee smoothe vp a weake confused sense.
d. To polish up, improve.
1760–2. Goldsm., Cit. W., lii. (Globe), 171. A squire from the country … desirous of … smoothing up the rudiments of his rural minuet.
10. With over: † a. To win over, appease. Obs.–1
1608. Topsell, Serpents (1658), 708–9. For the Dragon being smoothed over with these gifts,… was contented to forsake the old place.
b. To make smooth or smoother in some way, esp. by the removal of a difficulty.
1611. Cotgr., Calendré,… sleeked, or smoothed ouer.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, XII. vi. ¶ 4. They were politic enough to smooth over the corrugations of their contempt.
1820. Byron, Mar. Fal., IV. i. 75. The high moon … Serenely smoothing o’er the lofty walls Of those tall piles and sea-girt palaces.
1873. Black, Pr. Thule, xxv. 418. These minor inconveniences were soon smoothed over.
c. To gloss over, minimize.
1684. Baxter, Cath. Comm., 40. By hiding, or smoothing over publick sins.
1827. Scott, Surg. Dau., v. This he smoothed over to his conscience.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., II. xxiv. 84. There was something about her that Eva never could make out; and she always smoothed it over with thinking that, after all, it was mamma.
11. With out: a. To take out, remove (a fold or crease) by pressure or rubbing.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, § xxiv. ¶ 15. 325. As he comes to a Token-sheet, he un-doubles that, and smooths out the Crease with the back-side of the Nails of his Right Hand.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxx. He has had a hard task replacing the folios…, smoothing out the creases and dogs-ears.
1847. C. Brontë, Jane Eyre, xxix. The creases left by the wet [were] smoothed out.
b. To spread out smoothly or evenly.
1859. Jephson, Brittany, ii. 19. Some batter, which she smoothed out with a wooden spoon until it was of about the thickness of a pancake.
12. With down: a. To make smooth by pressing down. Also in fig. context.
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. s.v., To smooth down with the Nail, as Taylors and Seamstresses do.
1768. Burke, Corr. (1844), I. 150. However,… I am to see him to-morrow, and will smooth down the feathers.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., xxxvii. She had an infant in one arm, and with the other she smoothed down her apron.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, II. 432. One In this hand held a volume as to read, And smoothed a pelted peacock down with that.
b. intr. To become smooth by settling down.
1884. Field, 6 Dec. (Cassell). The falls were smoothing down.
13. With off, away, etc. (see quots.).
1680. Otway, Orphan, II. i. The superstitious States-man has his sneer To smooth a poor man off with that can’t bribe him.
1784. Cowper, Tiroc., 560. Th’ indented stick, that loses day by day Notch after notch, till all are smooth’d away.
1819. Shelley, Peter Bell 3rd, VII. iii. 5. From his mean front … Smoothing away the unmeaning furrows.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. VI. viii. A moment,—which one had to smooth off with oratory.
1893. ‘Q.’ (Quiller-Couch), Delectable Duchy, 25. Their wives smoothed all intelligence out of their faces as soon as I began to hint at it.
