Smore v.

Now Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 1 smorian, 4– smore (4 smor, 6 Sc. smoir), 7–9 smoar; 9 dial. smor(r, smur(r. See also SMOOR v. [OE. smorian, = WFris. smoarje, smoare, MDu. and Du. smoren (Flem. also smooren), MLG. and LG. smoren (hence G. schmoren), of uncertain relationship. The stem is the base of early ME. smorðer, smorðren SMOTHER sb. and v.]

  1.  trans. To suffocate, smother.

c. 725.  Corpus Gloss., S 558. St[r]angulat, wyrʓeð, uel smorað.

c. 975.  Rushw. Gosp., Matt. xiii. 2. Sume þonne ʓefetun in þornas & wexon þa þornas & smoradun hiæ.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8670. Mi felaw smord hir barn in bedd.

c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 7601. All suld be smored withouten dout, War ne þa hevens ay moved obout.

c. 1440.  Alph. Tales, 145. As hur fadur was slepand vndernethe a matres, sho smoryd him odead.

a. 1470.  Harding, Chron., CLXXVIII. xx. Thei smored were by their contrariaunce.

1513.  More, Rich. III. (1883), 84. Smored and styfled, theyr breath failing, thei gaue vp to God their innocent soules.

1585.  Jas. I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 39. A rauing cloude, Which threatnes … To smore and drowne him.

a. 1800[?].  Lady Diamond, in Child, Ballads, V. 37/2. Bring here to me that bonny boy, And we’ll smore him right quietlie.

1808.  Jamieson, s.v. Thow, Smore Thow,… a heavy snow, accompanied with a strong wind, which … threatens to smore, smother, or suffocate one.

  b.  To suffocate or smother in or with smoke, or implying this.

14[?].  Smyth & his Dame, 380, in Hazl., E. P. P., III. 215. Whan he had smored her in y^e smok.

c. 1450.  Holland, Howlat, 825. Lyke a smaik smorit in a smedy.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, xxvi. 120. In the depest pot of hell He smorit thame with smvke.

1584.  Hudson, Du Bartas’ Judith, III. 124. Some other vndertooke To fire the gates, or smore the towne with smoke.

c. 1755.  R. Forbes, Jrnl. from London, 2. He was like to smore us a’ i’ the coach wi’ the very ewder [of his pipe].

  c.  intr. To choke, be suffocated.

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, VII. 452. Sum neuir rais, bot smoryt quhar thai lay.

a. 1586.  Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, xlvi. 55. I smore if I conceill, I wrak if I reveill, My hurt.

1808.  Jamieson, s.v., ‘I was like to smore’: I was in danger of being suffocated.

  2.  fig. To smother, suppress, keep in obscurity or concealment, put or keep down, etc.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xl. (Ninian), 156. Sa þat þe science lent to þe be nocht tynt na smoryt in þe.

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, XI. 1436. Gret harm I thocht his gud deid suld be smord.

1538.  Cromwell, in Merriman, Life & Lett. (1902), II. 164. Yf the same shuld be smored or mysordered after your decease.

1599.  James I., Βασιλικον Δωρον (1603), 47. Vntill yee roote out these barbarous feides, that their effectes may bee … smoared downe.

1637.  Gillespie, Eng.-Pop. Cerem., Ep. A iij b. The true life of godlinesse is smoared downe and suppressed by the burthen of these human inventions.

1790.  Shirrefs, Poems, 179. ’Till now, I smoar’d my joy within my breast.

  † 3.  To smear, bedaub. Obs.^–0

1530.  Palsgr., 723/2. Where have you ben, you have all to smored your face.

  † 4.  To cook in a close vessel. Also intr. Obs.

  This sense is prominent in Du., Flem., LG. and G.

1562.  Turner, Herbal (1568), 76. They put it [slauke] in a poot, and smore it, as they call it, and then it looketh blake.

1615.  Markham, Eng. Housew. (1660), 67. Set it on a gentle fire, and let it stew, and smoar till the hearbs and onyons be soft.

  5.  intr. To smolder. rare.

1651.  H. More, Enthus. Tri. (1712), 17. Melancholy, that lies at first smoaring in the Heart and Blood.

1854.  Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., Smore. To burn without flame. ‘The fire smores.’

  Hence Smoring vbl. sb. and ppl. a.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 461/1. Smorynge, fumigacio.

1586.  Rec. Elgin (Spald. Cl.), II. 6. To prowe the death of hir tua bairnis to have bein without violence and smoiring.

1642.  H. More, Song of Soul, I. iii. 38. There lyes A little spark…, But smoreing filth so close it doth comprize That it cannot flame out. Ibid., II. III. ii. 15. Let fall that smoring mantle. Ibid. (1647), Exorcismus, ii. Thou fast-bound ball Of smoring darknesse!