smear

¹smear

noun \ˈsmir\

Definition of SMEAR

1

a : a viscous or sticky substance

b : a spot made by or as if by an unctuous or adhesive substance

2

: material smeared on a surface (as of a microscopic slide); also : a preparation made by smearing material on a surface <a vaginal smear>

3

: a usually unsubstantiated charge or accusation against a person or organization —often used attributively <a smear campaign> <a smear job>

Examples of SMEAR

1. The blood smear revealed malaria.

Origin of SMEAR

Middle English smere, from Old English smeoru; akin to Old High German smero grease and probably to Old Irish smiur marrow

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with SMEAR

beer, bier, blear, cere, cheer, clear, dear, deer, Deere, drear, ear, fear, fere, fleer, gear, hear, here, jeer, leer, mere, mir, near, peer, pier, Pierre, queer, rear, schmear, sear, seer, sere, shear, sheer, skirr, sneer, spear, speer, sphere, steer, tear, tier, Trier, Tyr, veer, weir, year

²smear

transitive verb

Definition of SMEAR

1

a : to overspread with something unctuous, viscous, or adhesive : daub <smeared the paper with glue>

b : to spread over a surface

2

a : to stain, smudge, or dirty by or as if by smearing

b : sully, besmirch; specifically : to vilify especially by secretly and maliciously spreading grave charges and imputations

3

: to obliterate, obscure, blur, blend, wipe out, or defeat by or as if by smearing

— smear·er noun

Examples of SMEAR

1. The children smeared the window with fingerprints.
2. She smeared jam on her toast.
3. Butter was smeared all over the counter.
4. Her mascara smeared when she cried.

First Known Use of SMEAR

before 12th century

Related to SMEAR

Synonyms

anoint, bedaub, besmear, daub

Related Words

coat, paint, plaster; grease, oil; gum, lard, pitch, tar; befoul, begrime, bemire, besmirch, blacken, dirty, foul, gaum [dialect], grime, mire, muck, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully

Near Antonyms

exalt, glorify, honor; acclaim, applaud, commend, praise; esteem, respect; admire, regard; adore, revere, venerate, worship