Entry Word: smear

Function: verb

Meaning: 1 to rub an oily or sticky substance over <the toddler gleefully smeared her hair and face with maple syrup>

Synonyms anoint, bedaub, besmear, daub

Related Words coat, paint, plaster; grease, oil; gum, lard, pitch, tar; begrime, besmirch, blacken, dirty, foul, grime, mire, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully

2 to make untrue and harmful statements about <willing to smear his opponent if doing so would win the election> — see slander