Etymology dictionary
slur (n.) — smoke (n.2)
slur (n.)
"deliberate slight, disparaging remark," c. 1600, from dialectal slur "thin or fluid mud" (Middle English slore, mid-15c.), which is of obscure origin. It seems to be cognate with continental Germanic words having to do with muddy sloppiness, such as Middle Low German sluren, Middle Dutch sloren "to trail in mud." Also compare East Frisian sluren "to go about carelessly," Norwegian slora "to be careless," Middle Dutch slore "sluttish woman."
The sense of "a mark, stain, smear" is from 1660s in English. The earliest appearance of the word in English seems to be as a now-obsolete gambling term for a type of cheat in throwing dice (1590s). And the modern slur might combine senses from two identical words, one meaning fling mud, the other to slip or slide.
From 1796 as the name of a sliding piece in a knitting machine. The musical sense of "combination of two or more tones in a single syllable," indicated by a curved mark, is by 1801. Of speech, the meaning "a slurred utterance, a running together of sounds or words" is by 1861. All these seem to represent the "sliding" sense.
slurp (v.)
"drink greedily or noisily," 1640s, from Dutch slurpen, perhaps of imitative origin (compare German schlürfen). Intransitive sense by 1917. Related: Slurped; slurping. The noun is attested by 1949, from the verb.
slurry (n.)
mid-15c., slori, "thin mud, slime, semi-fluid mix of water and earth or clay," probably related to Middle English sloor "thin or fluid mud" (see slur (n.)). Slori also turns up as a nickname c. 1200, perhaps "dirty or lazy person."
slush (n.)
1640s, "melting snow, snow and water," perhaps from a Scandinavian source (compare Norwegian and Swedish slask "slushy ground;" obsolete Danish slus "sleet"), all probably imitative of the sound of sloshing. It is attested by 1772 as "sludge, watery mire."
Slush fund is first attested 1839, from an earlier sense of slush "refuse fat from the cook's galley of a ship" (1756); the money from the sale of a ship's slush became a cook's prerequisite; on a man-of-war the money was distributed among the officers.
The extended meaning "money collected for bribes and to buy influence" is first recorded 1874, no doubt with suggestions of "greasing" palms. Related: Slush-money. The galley slush also was used as grease, hence slush (v.) "grease (a mast) with slush."
slushy (adj.)
1791, "covered with or consisting of slush," from slush (n.) + -y (2). As slang for "ship's cook," 1859, from slush (n.) in the sense of "refuse from a cook's galley" (1756). Related: Slushiness.
slut (n.)
c. 1400, slutte, "a dirty, slovenly, careless, or untidy woman," first attested in the Coventry mystery plays. It is paired alliteratively with sloven (q.v.), which also first appears there, and both might suggest "lewd, lascivious woman" but this is uncertain.
According to OED "Of doubtful origin," but probably cognate with dialectal German Schlutt "slovenly woman," dialectal Swedish slata "idle woman, slut," and Dutch slodde "slut," slodder "a careless man," though the exact relationship of all these is obscure.
Connection also has been suggested with Old English (West Saxon) *sliet, *slyt, "sleet, slush," and comparison made to Norwegian dialectal slutr "snow mixed with rain" (see sleet).
Chaucer uses sluttish (late 14c.) in reference to the appearance of an untidy man. Slut also came to mean "a kitchen maid, a scullery drudge" (mid-15c.); in 18c. hard pieces in a bread loaf from imperfect kneading were called slut's pennies; dust left to gather on a floor was slut's wool).
The meaning "woman of low or loose character, bold hussy," if not intended in the earliest use, is attested by mid-15c., but the primary sense through 18c. was "woman who is uncleanly as regards her person or house." Johnson has it (second definition) as "A word of slight contempt to a woman" but sexual activity does not seem to figure into his examples. Playful use of the word, "young woman, wench," without implication of messiness or loose morals, is attested by 1660s:
Compare playful use of scamp, rogue, etc., for boys. Sometimes used 19c. as a euphemism for bitch to describe a female dog.
The specific sense of "woman who enjoys sex in a degree considered shamefully excessive" is by 1966.
A group of North Sea Germanic words in sl- mean "sloppy," and also "slovenly woman" and, less often, "slovenly man." They tend to evolve toward "woman of loose morals." Compare slattern, also English dialectal slummock "a dirty, untidy, or slovenly person" (1861), variant of slammacks "slatternly woman," said to be from slam "ill-shaped, shambling fellow." Also slammakin (from 1756 as a type of loose gown; 1785 as "slovenly female," 1727 as a character name in Gay's "Beggar's Opera"), with variants slamkin, slammerkin. Also possibly related are Middle Dutch slore "a sluttish woman," Dutch slomp, German Schlampe "a slattern."
sluttery (n.)
1580s, "neglect of cleanliness and order, dirtiness of clothing, rooms, etc.," from slut + -ery. From 1841 as "an untidy room."
slutty (adj.)
c. 1400, "dirty, slovenly, unwashed," from slut + -ish. The sense of "lascivious, suggestive" is modern. Middle English also had an adverb slutly (late 15c., slutli) "in a dirty or slovenly way."
sluttish (adj.)
"like or characteristic of a slut," late 14c., "dirty, slovenly," from slut + -ish. The drift of this to "belonging to or characteristic of a woman of loose behavior" is as old as Herrick, but the modern uses probably are 20c. Related: Sluttishly; sluttishness.
sly (adj.)
late 12c., sleigh, "skillful, clever, dexterous, wise, prudent," from Old Norse sloegr "cunning, crafty, sly," from Proto-Germanic *slogis (source also of Low German slu "cunning, sly," German schlau), probably from *slak- "to strike, hit" (see slay (v.)), with an original notion of "able to hit." Compare German verschlagen "cunning, crafty, sly," schlagfertig "quick-witted," literally "strike-ready," from schlagen "to strike," but the exact relation is uncertain.
The meaning "insidious, crafty, meanly artful" is from c. 1200. That of "playfully artful, knowing" is from 1764. In Middle English sly words could mean "wise words" or "deceptive language." A non-pejorative use of the word lingered in northern English dialect until 20c. On the sly "in secret" is recorded from 1812. Sly-boots "a seeming Silly, but subtil Fellow" is in the 1700 "Dictionary of the Canting Crew."
slyly (adv.)
c. 1200, sleighli, "cautiously, carefully;" c. 1300, "secretly, privately," also "treacherously, stealthily;" late 14c., "wisely, prudently, cleverly;" from sly (adj.) + -ly (2).
slyness (n.)
"quality of being sly" in any sense, mid-14c., from sly (adj.) + -ness. Middle English also had slyship (sleighshipe, late 14c.) "wisdom, prudence."
smack (n.1)
"a taste, flavor, savor" especially a slight flavor that suggests something, Middle English smakke, from Old English smæc "taste; scent, odor," from Proto-Germanic *smakka- (source also of Old Frisian smek, Middle Dutch smæck, Dutch smaak, Old High German smac, German Geschmack, Swedish smak, Danish smag), from verb *smakjanan, from a Germanic and Baltic root meaning "to taste" (source also of Lithuanian smaguriai "dainties," smagus "pleasing").
The transferred meaning "a trace (of something)" is attested from 1530s.
smack (v.1)
"part the lips so as to make a sharp sound," as if in relish or anticipation, 1550s, probably of imitative origin (compare smack (v.2)). The sense of "kiss," especially in a noisy manner, is by 1870.
smack (n.3)
single-masted sailboat, formerly much used in the coasting and fishing trade, 1610s, probably from Dutch or Low German smak "sailboat," perhaps from smakken "to fling, dash" (see smack (v.2)), and perhaps so-called from the sound made by its sails. French semaque, Spanish zumaca, Italian semacca probably are borrowings from Germanic languages.
smack (n.4)
"heroin," 1942, American English slang, probably an alteration of schmeck "a drug," especially heroin (1932), from Yiddish schmeck "a sniff," from Germanic (see smack (n.1)).
smack (v.2)
1801, "hit so as to produce a sharp sound;" especially "sharply strike a flat surface with the inside of the hand," 1835, from smack (n.2) in the sense of "sharp sound made by hitting" (1746); perhaps influenced by Low German smacken "to strike, throw," in any case likely ultimately of imitative origin. Compare Swedish smak "slap," Middle Low German smacken, Frisian smakke, Dutch smakken "to fling down," Lithuanian smogti "to strike, knock down, whip."
The general sense of "strike (anything) with great force" is by 1882 in sports.
smack (n.2)
1560s, "smart, sharp sound made by the lips," as in kissing or tasting, from smack (v.1). The meaning "a loud kiss" is recorded from c. 1600. That of "slap, sharp sudden blow with the flat of the hand" is by 1746.
smack (v.3)
mid-13c., smacchen, "to smell (something"); mid-14c., "to taste (something), perceive by sense of taste" (transitive); late 14c. "to have a taste, taste of" (intransitive), from smack (n.1). Or perhaps from Old English smæccan (Mercian) "to taste." Compare Old Frisian smakia Middle Dutch smaecken, Old High German smakken "have a savor, scent, or taste," German schmecken "taste, try, smell, perceive." Sometimes also smatch.
Now mainly in verbal figurative use smacks of ... "has a certain character or property," attested by 1590s, in the literal sense "give off an odor" it is attested is by c. 1300: "Commonly but erroneously regarded as identical with [smack (n.2)], as if 'taste' proceeds from 'smacking the lips.'" [Century Dictionary]
smack (adv.)
"suddenly, directly, aggressively, plump, straight," 1782, from smack (v.1); the extended form smack-dab is attested from 1892, American English colloquial (slap-dab is from 1886).
smacker (n.)
"money," c. 1918, American English slang, perhaps from smack (v.1) on notion of something "smacked" into the palm of the hand. Extended form smackeroo is attested from 1939. The meaning "a loud kiss" is by 1775, from smack (v.1).
smaik (n.)
"mean or contemptible fellow, paltry rogue," mid-15c., Scottish, now archaic. It was current c. 1450-c. 1900, and perhaps is cognate with Old High German smeichari, from smeken "to flatter."
smallness (n.)
late 14c., smalnesse, "slenderness, thinness; diminutive size; a small amount," from small (adj.) + -ness.
small (adj.)
Middle English smal, smale, from Old English smæl "thin, slender, narrow; fine," from Proto-Germanic *smal- "small animal; small" (source also of Old Saxon, Danish, Swedish, Middle Dutch, Dutch, Old High German smal, Old Frisian smel, German schmal "narrow, slender," Gothic smalista "smallest," Old Norse smali "small cattle, sheep"), perhaps from a PIE root *(s)melo- "smaller animal" (source also of Greek melon, Old Irish mil "a small animal;" Old Church Slavonic malu "bad").
The original sense of "narrow" now is generally restricted to waistlines (c. 1300) and intestines (late Old English).
The sense of "not large, of little size, of less than ordinary dimensions" developed in Old English. Of children, "young, not fully developed," from mid-13c. The meaning "little or inferior in degree or amount" is from late 13c. That of "trivial, unimportant, of little weight or moment" is from mid-14c. The sense of "having little property or trade" is from 1746. That of "characterized by littleness of mind or spirit, base, low, selfish" is from 1824.
Small fry is by 1690s of little fish, 1885 of insignificant people. Small potatoes "no great matter, something petty or insignificant" is attested by 1924; small change, figuratively "something of little value" (with change in the "sum of money" sense) is from 1902; small talk "chit-chat, trifling conversation" (1751) is first recorded in Chesterfield's "Letters." Small-arms, indicating those capable of being carried in the hand (contrasted to ordnance) is recorded from 1710. Small clothes (1796) were knee-breeches, especially those of the 18c., as distinguished from trousers. Small hours (mid-15c.) were originally ecclesiastical, the minor canonical hours.
Small world as a comment upon an unexpected meeting of acquaintances is recorded by 1895. To distinguish generic from specific in phrases such as democrat with a small d, the construction is attested by 1952.
small (n.)
early 13c., "small person or animal," from small (adj.). From c. 1300 as "persons of low rank" (opposed to great); mid-15c. as "the small part" of something (such as small of the back, 1530s).
small beer (n.)
1560s, originally "weak beer;" used figuratively of small things or trifling matters. Small (adj.) is attested from mid-15c. in the sense of "containing little of the principal quantity," especially in reference to beer or wine of low alcoholic content.
smallish (adj.)
c. 1400, smalish, "somewhat slender," from small (adj.) + -ish. Later "rather small than large."
small-mouth (n.)
also smallmouth, 1880, of bass, short for small-mouth (black) bass (1878); from small (adj.) + mouth (n.). Small-mouthed (adj.) has been used of various fishes from 1610s.
smallpox (n.)
acute, highly contagious disease, 1510s, small pokkes, as distinguished from great pox "syphilis;" from small-pock "pustule caused by smallpox" (mid-15c.); see small (adj.) + pox. Compare French petite vérole. Fatal in a quarter to a third of unvaccinated cases, it could persist in clothes or other contaminated articles for months or years.
small-time (adj.)
1910, originally theater slang for lower-salaried circuits, or ones requiring more daily performances; from noun phrase (also 1910). Compare big time.
small-town (adj.)
"unsophisticated, provincial," 1824, from noun phrase (attested from late 14c., in plural and opposed to grete citees), from small (adj.) + town.
smarm (n.)
1914, from colloquial verb smalm, smarm "to smear, bedaub" (the hair, with pomade), 1847, of unknown origin, perhaps somehow suggestive of the action. Verbal meaning "to smear with flattery" is from 1902.
smarmy (adj.)
1909, "smooth and sleek;" 1924, "ingratiating, unctuous;" from smarm + -y (2). Related: Smarmily; smarminess.
smart (n.)
late 12c., smerte, "sharp physical pain," from smart (adj.). Cognate with Middle Dutch smerte, Dutch smart, Old High German smerzo, German Schmerz "pain." Of mental pain or suffering from c. 1300. In old cant, "a dandy," 1712. Smarts "good sense, intelligence," is recorded by 1968 (Middle English had ingeny "intellectual capacity, cleverness" (early 15c.)).
smartness (n.)
c. 1300, smertnes, "severity," from smart (adj.) + -ness. From 1752 as "trimness," 1800 as "cleverness."
smart (v.)
Middle English smerten, "to cause pain, to suffer pain," from Old English smeortan "be painful," in reference to wounds, from Proto-Germanic *smarta- (source also of Middle Dutch smerten, Dutch smarten, Old High German smerzan, German schmerzen "to pain," originally "to bite"). The Germanic word is perhaps cognate with Latin mordēre "to bite, bite into," figuratively "to pain, cause hurt," and both might be from an extended form of PIE root *mer- "to rub away, harm." Usually of a lively, pungent, local pain. Related: Smarted; smarts; smarting.
smart (adj.)
Middle English smert, from late Old English smeart, in reference to hits, blows, etc., "stinging; causing a sharp pain," related to smeortan "be painful" (see smart (v.)). The adjective is not represented in the cognate languages.
Of speech or words, "harsh, injurious, unpleasant," c. 1300; thus "pert, impudent; on the impertinent side of witty" (by 1630s). In reference to persons, "quick, active, intelligent, clever," 1620s, perhaps from the notion of "cutting" wit, words, etc., or else "keen in bargaining."
From 1718 in cant as "fashionably elegant;" by 1798 as "trim in attire," "ascending from the kitchen to the drawing-room c. 1880" [Weekley]. For sense evolution, compare sharp (adj.); at one time or another smart also had the extended senses in sharp.
Attested from late 12c. as a surname, earlier as a component in them, including Christiana Smartknave (1279). In reference to devices, the sense of "behaving as though guided by intelligence" is attested by 1972 (smart bomb, also the computing smart terminal). The figurative smart cookie "clever, perceptive person" is from 1948.
smart aleck (n.)
also smart alek, smart alec, "would-be clever person," by 1863 ["Weekly Butte Record," Oroville, Calif., May 16, 1863], of unknown origin. Barnhart suggests perhaps in reference to Aleck Hoag, notorious pimp, thief, and confidence man in New York City in early 1840s. But the dates don't overlap and the earliest use seems to concentrate in the U.S. West (Idaho and Nevada). See smart (adj.). Related: Smart-alecky (1905).
smart-arse
see smart-ass.
smart-ass
also smartass, 1960 (adj.), 1962 (n.), from smart (adj.) + ass (n.2).
smarten (v.)
"to make smart, to spruce up, to improve appearance," 1786, from smart (adj.) in its sense of "spruce, trim" + -en (1). Related: Smartened; smartening.
smarty (n.)
"would-be witty or clever person," 1854, from smart (n.) + -y (3). Extended form smarty-pants is attested by 1939.
smartly (adv.)
early 13c., smertli, "vigorously," from smart (adj.) + -ly (2). The meaning "handsomely" is by 1748. The earlier adverb was Old English smerte. Compare Dutch smartelijk, German schmerzlich.
smart money (n.)
"money bet by those in the know," 1926, from smart (adj.). The same phrase earlier meant "money paid to sailors, soldiers, workers, etc., who have been disabled while on the job" (1690s), from a noun derivative of smart (v.) "be painful, hurt." Also "money paid to obtain the discharge of a recruit" (1760), hence "money paid to escape some unpleasant situation" (1818). Sometimes in legal use, "damages in excess of injury done."
smart-mouth (n.)
"cheeky person," 1968, from smart (adj.) + mouth (n.). As a verb by 1976. Related: Smartmouthed.
smash (v.)
1759, transitive, "break to pieces," earlier "kick downstairs" (c. 1700), probably of imitative origin (compare smack (v.), mash (v.), crush (v.)). The intransitive meaning "act with crushing force" is from 1813; the transitive sense of "strike violently" is from 1835. Tennis sense is from 1882. Smash-and-grab (adj.) as a type of burglary or robbery is attested from 1927.
smash (n.)
1725, "a hard blow," from smash (v.). The meaning "broken-up condition, a violent crashing to pieces" is from 1798; that of "failure, financial collapse" is from 1839. The tennis sense is from 1882. The meaning "great success" is from 1923 (Variety magazine headline, Oct. 16, in reference to Broadway productions of "The Fool" and "The Rise of Rosie O'Reilly"). As a type of julep-like brandy drink, by 1950, American English.
smashed (adj.)
1819, "crushed," past-participle adjective from smash (v.). The slang meaning "drunk" is from 1962.
smashing (adj.)
1833, "violently crushing to pieces," present-participle adjective from smash (v.). Meaning "pleasing, sensational" is from 1911. Related: Smashingly.
smasher (n.)
1794, "uncommonly large thing," agent noun from smash (v.); compare whopper, slapper, etc. By 1822 as "machine which crushes;" by 1829 as "a heavy blow."
smash-up (n.)
"a crash, violent collision," 1841, especially "a serious accident on a railway," from the verbal phrase; see smash (v.) + up (adv.). The verbal phrase in the sense of "become ruined, fail, go bankrupt" is by 1876.
smatch
archaic alternative forms of smack (n.1); smack (v.3).
smatterer (n.)
"one who has but slight or superficial knowledge," 1510s, agent noun from smatter (v.).
smattering (n.)
"a slight or superficial knowledge," 1530s, verbal noun from smatter (v.). Smatter (n.) "slight or superficial knowledge" is from 1660s. Related: Smatteringly.
smatter (v.)
early 15c., smateren, intransitive, "talk idly, chatter; talk ignorantly or superficially," a word of uncertain origin, perhaps imitative. Similar words are found in Middle High German smetern "to chatter" and Swedish smattra "to patter, rattle," and compare Danish snaddre "chatter, jabber," Dutch snateren, German schnattern "cackle, chatter, prattle."
Or it might be a special sense of Middle English smateren "to make dirty, defile" (late 14c.). Middle English Compendium compares bismotered "bespattered," smotten "corrupt, debase, defile."
The older sense is obsolete. The meaning "have slight or superficial knowledge of, be a smatterer," is by 1520s. Related: Smattered; smattering.
smear (n.)
"mark or stain left by or as if by smearing," 1610s, from smear (v.). The sense of "small quantity prepared for microscopic examination" is from 1903. The meaning "a quantity of cream cheese, etc., smeared on a bagel" is by 1999, from Yiddish shmir.
The earlier noun sense in English is that of "fat, grease; ointment" (c. 1200), from Old English smeoru "fat, grease," cognate with Middle Dutch smere, Dutch smeer, German Schmer "grease, fat" (Yiddish schmir), Danish smør, Swedish smör "butter."
smear (v.)
Middle English smeren, from Old English smerian, smierwan, smyrian "anoint or rub with ointment, oil, etc.," from Proto-Germanic *smerwjan "to spread grease on" (source also of Old Norse smyrja "to anoint, rub with ointment," Danish smøre, Swedish smörja, Dutch smeren, Old High German smirwen "apply salve, smear," German schmieren "to smear;" Old Norse smör "butter"), from PIE *smeru- "grease" (source also of Greek myron "unguent, balsam," Old Irish smi(u)r "marrow," Old English smeoru "fat, grease, ointment, tallow, lard, suet," Lithuanian smarsas "fat").
Originally especially "to anoint," but also in Old English "overspread too thickly with something thick or sticky." In modern use also of bad painting or makeup. The figurative sense of "assault a public reputation" is by 1835; especially "dishonor or besmirch with unsubstantiated charges." Related: Smeared; smearing. Smear-word, one used regardless of its literal meaning but invested with invective, is from 1938.
smear-case (n.)
also smearcase, "cottage cheese," 1829, a semi-translation of German Schmierkäse; from schmier "grease" (see smear (v.), also schmear) + käse "whey, cheese" (see cheese (n.)).
smee (n.)
"pintail duck," 1660s, said to be a Norfolk word, reduced from earlier smeath (1620s), which is probably from Middle Dutch smeente. Also a surname.
smegma (n.)
"sebaceous secretion," 1811, from Latin, from Greek smēgma "a detergent, soap, unguent," from smēkhein "to wipe off, wipe clean, cleanse," from PIE root *smeh- "to smear" (source also of Czech smetana "cream," and see smear (v.)). So called from resemblance of the substance to soap; a medical coinage, the word seems to have been very rare in English in its literal Greek sense (1750s). Related: Smegmatic.
smell (v.)
c. 1200, smellen, "emit an odor; perceive an odor" (transitive and intransitive), "use the sense of smell, inhale the odor of," not found in Old English, perhaps cognate with Middle Dutch smolen, Low German smelen "to smolder" (see smolder). However, OED writes that it is "no doubt of Old English origin, but not recorded, and not represented in any of the cognate languages." Related: Smelled or smelt; smelling.
The figurative sense of "perceive as if by smell" is from late 14c. Specifically as "smell bad, stink" by late 14c. Smell-feast (n.) "one who finds and frequents good tables, one who scents out where free food is to be had" is from 1510s ("very common" c. 1540-1700, writes OED). To smell a rat "be suspicious" is from 1540s (see rat (n.)).
smelling (n.)
"use of the sense of smell; emission of odor," late Old English, verbal noun from smell (v.). Smelling salts (1840), used to revive the woozy, typically were a scented preparation of carbonate of ammonia. Smelling bottle is by 1722.
smell (n.)
c. 1200, smel, "scent as a property of matter, that quality of anything that may be perceived by the nose," also "pleasant odor; aromatic substance;" see smell (v.). Not found in Old English, where the usual word was stenc (see stench). Smell is attested specifically as "stench, offensive smell" by late 14c.
smelly (adj.)
"having an offensive odor," 1854, from smell (n.) + -y (2). Related: Smelliness.
smelt (n.)
common name of various small fishes, Old English smelt "sardine, small salmon-like sea fish," cognate with Dutch smelt "sand eel," Danish smelt (c. 1600). OED notes that it has a peculiar odor (but doesn't suggest a connection with smell); Klein suggests an explanation in the way the fish "melts" in one's mouth. Century Dictionary speculates ("perhaps") it means "smooth" and compares Old English smeolt, smylt "serene, smooth." Watkins says from PIE root *mel- (1) "soft."
smelt (v.)
"fuse or melt," especially ore, by heat, in a furnace, to separate the metal in it, late 14c. (implied in smelter "one who smelts ore"), from Dutch or Middle Low German smelten "to fuse, smelt, liquefy," from Proto-Germanic *smelt- (source also of Old High German smelzan, German schmelzen "to melt"), from PIE *smeld-, variant of PIE root *mel- (1) "soft." Thus the word is related to melt (v.). Italian smalto "enamel" is from dialectal smalzo "butter," which is from Germanic; compare enamel, email. Related: Smelted; smelting; smeltery.
smelter (n.)
"one engaged in smelting," late 14c., agent noun from smelt (v.).
*(s)mer- (1)
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to remember."
It forms all or part of: commemorate; commemoration; mourn; memo; memoir; memorable; memorandum; memorial; memorious; memorize; memory; remember.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit smarati "remembers;" Avestan mimara "mindful;" Greek merimna "care, thought," mermeros "causing anxiety, mischievous, baneful;" Latin memoria "memory, remembrance, faculty of remembering," memor "mindful, remembering;" Serbo-Croatian mariti "to care for;" Welsh marth "sadness, anxiety;" Old Norse Mimir, name of the giant who guards the Well of Wisdom; Old English gemimor "known," murnan "to mourn, remember sorrowfully;" Dutch mijmeren "to ponder."
*(s)mer- (2)
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to get a share of something."
It forms all or part of: demerit; emeritus; isomer; isomeric; meretricious; merism; meristem; merit; meritorious; mero-; monomer; Moira; polymer; turmeric.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek meros "part, lot," moira "share, fate," moros "fate, destiny, doom;" Hittite mark "to divide" a sacrifice; Latin merere, meriri "to earn, deserve, acquire, gain."
SMERSH (n.)
Soviet Army counter-espionage organization begun during World War II, 1953, from Russian abbreviation of smert' shpionam "death to spies." Introduced in English by "James Bond" author Ian Fleming.
smicker (adj.)
"elegant, fine, gay," Middle English smiker, from Old English smicere "neat, elegant, beautiful, fair, tasteful." Compare Old High German smehhar, Middle High German smieke, German Schminke "paint, makeup, rouge." Hence smicker (v.) "look amorously" at someone (1660s); smickering "an amorous inclination" (1690s).
smidge (n.)
"tiny amount," short form of smidgen, 1902, American English dialect.
smidgen (n.)
"small piece or quantity," 1845, perhaps from Scottish smitch "very small amount; small insignificant person" (1822). Compare Northumbrian dialectal smiddum "small particle of lead ore" (1821); ultimately a variant of smeddum "fine flour; fine powder," which is from Old English but of unknown origin.
smilax (n.)
type of lilaceous plant, c. 1600, from Latin, from Greek smilax "blindweed," also used of the yew and a kind of evergreen oak, which is possibly of Pre-Greek origin.
smile (v.)
c. 1300, smilen, "assume a facial expression or change of features indicative of amusement and pleasure," perhaps from Middle Low German *smilen (compare Middle High German smielen) or a Scandinavian source (such as Danish smile "smile," Swedish smila "smile, smirk, simper, fawn"), from Proto-Germanic *smil-, extended form of PIE root *smei- "to laugh, smile" (source also of Sanskrit smayate "smiles;" Latvian smiêt "to laugh;" Latin mirus "wonderful," mirari "to wonder;" Old English smerian "to laugh at, scorn," Old High German smieron "to smile"). Related: Smiled; smiling; smilingly.
It gradually pushed the usual Old English word, smearcian (modern smirk), into a specific, unpleasant sense. Of the eyes, from 1759. Figuratively (of Fortune, etc.), as indicating favor or encouragement, from c. 1400. In Middle English to smile still (c. 1400) was to smile to oneself.
The saying smile and the world smiles with you is by 1884, in quotation marks, in newspaper poetry. An early second line to it was, frown, and it frowns again. [1886, credited to E.L. Ellsworth, "Cleveland Leader"]
The Romance, Celtic, and Slavic languages tend to use a diminutive of the word for "laugh" to mean "smile" (such as Latin ridere "laugh;" subridere "smile"), perhaps literally "small laugh" or "low laugh."
smile (n.)
mid-15c., "expression of the face like that at the start of a laugh, indicating amusement, pleasure, etc.," from smile (v.).
smiley (adj.)
also smily, "inclined to smile," 1848, from smile (n.) + -y (2). Smileful (c. 1600) is marked "rare" in Century Dictionary. Smiley-face (n.) is from 1981; as a computer icon from 1987.
smirch (n.)
1680s, "a soiling mark or smear," from smirch (v.). Figurative use by 1862.
smirch (v.)
late 15c., smorchen, "to discolor, to make dirty" (also compare bismorched, mid-15c.), a word of uncertain origin, perhaps (OED) from Old French esmorcher "to torture," which is perhaps also "befoul, stain," from es- "out" (see ex-) + morcher "to bite," from Latin morsus, past participle of mordēre "to bite" (see mordant). The sense perhaps was influenced by smear. The figurative meaning "dishonor, disgrace, discredit" is attested from 1820.
smirk (v.)
Middle English smirken, from Old English smearcian "to smile." There are no exact cognates in other languages, but probably it is a suffixed form related to smerian "to laugh at, scorn," which is from Proto-Germanic *smer-, *smar-, variant of PIE *smei- "to smile;" see smile (v.).
After c. 1500, smile gradually restricted smirk to the unpleasant sense "smile affectedly; grin in a malicious or smug way," but in some 18c. glossaries smirk still is simply "to smile." Related: Smirked; smirking.
smirk (n.)
"affected or conceited smile," 1550s, from smirk (v.).
Smirnoff (n.)
proprietary name of a brand of vodka, said to have been in use since 1914.
smite (v.)
"to hit, strike, give a hard blow; beat with the hand, a stick, etc.," late 12c., smiten, from Old English smitan, which however is attested only as "to daub, smear on; soil, pollute, blemish, defile" (strong verb, past tense smat, past participle smiten, smiton). This is from Proto-Germanic *smitan (source also of Swedish smita, Danish smide "to smear, fling," Old Frisian smita, Middle Low German and Middle Dutch smiten "to cast, fling," Dutch smijten "to throw," Old High German smizan "to rub, strike," German schmeißen "to cast, fling," Gothic bismeitan "to spread, smear").
"The development of the various senses is not quite clear, but that of throwing is perh. the original one" [OED]. Watkins suggests "the semantic channel may have been slapping mud on walls in wattle and daub construction" and connects it with PIE *sme- "to smear;" Klein's sources also say this.
It is attested by c. 1200 as "strike with any sort of weapon." The sense has been extended by Biblical use, which accounts for the now somewhat archaic meanings "visit disastrously, bring about affliction, etc." (c. 1200), "slay in combat, destroy the life of" (c. 1300, from Biblical expression smite to death). The figurative meaning "touch the heart, strike with passion or emotion" is from c. 1200.
smith (n.)
Middle English smith, from Old English smið "blacksmith, armorer, one who works in metal" (jewelers as well as blacksmiths), more broadly, "handicraftsman, practitioner of skilled manual arts" (also including carpenters), from Proto-Germanic *smithaz "skilled worker" (source also of Old Saxon smith, Old Norse smiðr, Danish smed, Old Frisian smith, Old High German smid, German Schmied, Gothic -smiþa, in aiza-smiþa "coppersmith"), from a suffixed form of PIE root *smi- "to cut, work with a sharp instrument" (source also of Greek smilē "knife for cutting and carving, chisel").
Attested as a surname by c. 975. Also used in a Middle English psalter of God, when he created light. Other common surnames meaning "smith" include Ferraro (Italian), Haddad (Arabic), Kovács (Hungarian, a Slavic loan-word), Kowalski (Polish), Herrero (Spanish), Kuznets (Russian), MacGowan (Irish, "son of the blacksmith").
smith (v.)
Middle English smithen, "fashion" metal, with a hammer, from Old English smiðian "to forge, fabricate, design or fashion, as metal," from the source of smith (n.). Compare Dutch smeden, German schmeiden. Related: Smithed; smithing.
smithcraft (n.)
"skilled work of a smith," Old English smiðecraft; see smith (n.) + craft (n.).
smithers (n.)
"tiny, shredded pieces," by 1828, in to smithers; compare smithereens.
The Simpsons character made his first appearance in 1990 and from him the surname has sometimes been used (by 2004) for a sycophant.
smithereens (n.)
"small fragments," 1810, colloquial, smiddereens, from Irish smidirin, diminutive of smiodar "fragment," perhaps with diminutive ending as in Colleen. The short form smithers is attested from 1847.
Smithfield
place in London, celebrated at least since 17c. as a market for cattle and horses, later the central meat market. It figures in various old colloquial expressions (such as Smithfield bargain "a cheat," 1660s). The place name is originally Smethefield, from Old English smethe "smooth" (see smooth (adj.)). Smithfield ham (1908, American English) is from a town of that name in Virginia.
smithy (n.)
"workshop of a smith, blacksmith's shop, forge," c. 1200, smithi, from Old Norse smiðja (cognate with Old English smiððe), from Proto-Germanic *smith-ja-, from PIE smi- (see smith (n.)). Smithery (n.) is from 1620s as "the trade or craft of a smith," 1755 as "shop specializing in wrought-iron work."
Smithsonian
"Smithsonian Institute," named for English scientist and philanthropist James Smithson (1765-1829), who left a legacy to the U.S. government to found it. The mineral smithsonite also is named for him (1832).
Smith & Wesson
proprietary name of a type of firearm, 1860, from the gunsmith firm of Horace Smith (1808-1893) and Daniel B. Wesson (1825-1906) in Springfield, Massachusetts.
smitten (adj.)
mid-13c., "struck hard, afflicted, visited with disaster," past-participle adjective from smite. Sense of "inspired with love" is from 1660s on the notion of "suddenly and powerfully affected."
smock (n.)
Middle English smok, "women's undergarment, shift," from from Old English smoc "garment worn by women," corresponding to the men's shirt, from Proto-Germanic *smukkaz (source also of Old Norse smokkr "a smock," but this perhaps is from Old English; Old High German smoccho "smock," a rare word; North Frisian smok "woman's shift," but this, too, perhaps is from English).
Klein's sources, Barnhart and the OED see this as connected to a group of Germanic sm- words having to do with creeping or pressing close, such as Old Norse smjuga "to creep (through an opening), to put on (a garment)," smuga "narrow cleft to creep through; small hole;" Old Swedish smog "a round hole for the head;" Old English smugan, smeogan "to creep," smygel "a burrow." Compare also German schmiegen "to cling to, press close, nestle;" and Schmuck "jewelry, adornments," from schmucken "to adorn," literally "to dress up."
Watkins, however, traces it to a possible Germanic base *(s)muk- "wetness," figuratively "slipperiness," from PIE root*meug- "slimy, slippery" (see mucus). Either way, the original notion seems to have been "garment one creeps or slips into," by the same pattern that produced sleeve and slip (n.2).
In the original sense it has largely been replaced by euphemistic shift (n.2). Until 18c. smock was so much the common word for a woman's undergarment that it could be emblematic of womanhood generally, as in verb smock "to render (a man) effeminate or womanish" (1610s); smocker "man who consorts with women" (18c.). Smock also was an adjective, "belonging or relating to women;" smock-face "person having a pale, effeminate face" is attested by c. 1600 (Dryden's Endymion was a smock-fac'd boy). Smell-smock "licentious man" was in use c. 1550-c. 1900.
The modern meaning "woman's or child's loose dress or blouse" is from 1907; the sense of "loose garment worn by artists over other clothes" is from 1938. A smock-race (1707) was a foot-race for women and girls, an old country pastime:
smog (n.)
1905, a blend of smoke (n.) and fog (n.), formed "after Lewis Carrol's example" [Klein; see portmanteau]. Reputedly coined in reference to London, and first attested there in a paper read by Dr. H.A. des Voeux, treasurer of the Coal Smoke Abatement Society, though he seems not to have claimed credit for coining it.
Smaze (with haze (n.)) is from 1953.
smoggy (adj.)
"full of or characterized by smog," 1905, from smog (n.) + -y (2). Related: Smogginess.
smokable (adj.)
"capable of being smoked," 1839, from smoke (v.) + -able. Related: Smokably; smokability.
smoke (n.1)
late Old English smoca, smocca (rare) "visible fumes and volatile material given off by burning or smoldering substances," related to smeocan "give off smoke," from Proto-Germanic *smuk- (source also of Middle Dutch smooc, Dutch smook, Middle High German smouch, German Schmauch), from PIE root *smeug- "to smoke; smoke" (source also of Armenian mux "smoke," Greek smykhein "to burn with smoldering flame," Old Irish much, Welsh mwg "smoke").
The more usual noun was Old English smec, which became dialectal smeech. From late 14c. as "a puff, cloud, or column of smoke." Figurative use, of something unsubstantial," is by 1540s; in reference to an obscuring medium, 1560s.
In other forms the proverb dates to mid-15c.
Abusive meaning "Black person" is attested from 1913, American English. Smoke-eater "firefighter" is by c. 1930. Figurative phrase go up in smoke "be destroyed" (as if by fire) is from 1933 (an earlier figurative image was come to smoke, "come to nothing," c. 1600, with a different image in mind). Smoke-alarm "device giving warning of smoke" is by 1936; smoke-detector from 1957.
smoke (v.)
Middle English smoken, from Old English smocian, in late Old English smokian, "produce smoke, emit smoke," especially as a result of burning, intransitive, from smoke (n.1). Compare Dutch, Middle Low German smoken; for German rauchen, see reek (v.).
The transitive meaning "drive out or away or into the open by means of smoke" is attested from 1590s. Of chimneys, etc., "admit smoke outward instead of drawing it upward," 1660s. The meaning "to apply smoke to, to cure (bacon, fish, etc.) by exposure to smoke" is attested from 1590s. In old slang, "to sneer at, mock" (c. 1700).
In reference to tobacco, "draw fumes from burning into the mouth and puff them out again," it is first recorded 1604 in James I's "Counterblast to Tobacco." Related: Smoked; smoking.
smoking (n.)
late 14c., smokyng, "emission of fumes or smoke," verbal noun from smoke (v.). By 1690s as "act of puffing a lighted cigar, pipe, etc." Also a past-participle adjective. The railway smoking car is attested from 1844. Smoking jacket, one worn while smoking, is by 1849. Smoking gun in the figurative sense of "incontestable evidence" is attested by 1974.
smoke (n.2)
"cigarette," slang, 1882, from smoke (n.1). Also "opium" (1884). The meaning "a spell of smoking tobacco" is recorded from 1835.