v. Forms: 1 bismierwan, besmyrwan, 3 bismeoruwien, 6 besmeere, -smere, -smire, 6–7 besmeare, 7–8 besmeer, 6– besmear. [OE. bismierwan, late WSax. besmyrwan, Anglian besmerwan, f. bi-, BE- 1 + smierwan, smerwan (pa. t. smierede):—OTeut. *smerwjan to SMEAR, f. *smerwo-(m), in OE. smeoru, smeru, ointment, grease.] trans. To smear over or about; to cover the surface generally or largely with any greasy, viscous or sticky substance; usually with the notion of soiling or staining: to bedaub.
c. 1050. Gloss. Cott. Cleop., in Wr.-Wülcker, Voc., 422/14. Interlitam, besmyred.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 214. Kumeð forð biuoren his Louerde bismitted & bismeoruwed.
1535. Joye, Apol. Tindale, 50. Besmering and dawbing eche other with dirte and myer.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. ii. 42. The divelish hag … With wicked herbes and oyntments did besmeare My body.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., V. 55. That face of his … was besmear’d As blacke as Vulcan in the smoake of warre.
1777. Robertson, Hist. Amer. (1783), II. 145. They besmear their children with the blood.
1837. W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville (1849), 42. He … caused the bodies of the wagons to be … besmeared with a compound of tallow and ashes.
b. predicated of the unguent or viscous matter.
a. 1700. Dryden, Desp. Lover, Misc. Wks. 1760, II. 418 (J.).
| Her gushing blood the pavement all besmear’d; | |
| And this he last expiring voice was heard. |
1725. Pope, Odyss., XXII. 329. His batter’d front and brains besmear the stone.
c. intr. (for refl.) To become besmeared.
1587. Turberv., Louer confess. (R.). If face besmear with often streames.
2. fig. To sully, defile, pollute.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 245/2. That they bee not besmeered with any blame.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., V. 219. My honor would not let ingratitude So much besmeare it.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 10 (1619), 216. With the black coales of enuious and slanderous inuectiues striuing to besmeare them.
1867. Sat. Rev., 5 July. Ministers vie with each other in getting themselues besmeared.
