SMEAR
What does "SMEAR" mean?
To spread a soft or greasy substance over a surface in a messy way.
Meanings
- To spread or daub a sticky, greasy, or wet substance untidily. He smeared sunscreen across his nose.
- To blur or smudge something by rubbing. Her tears smeared the fresh ink.
- To damage someone's reputation with false accusations. The rival campaign tried to smear her with lies. figurative
- A mark or streak made by smearing. There was a smear of jam on the page.
- A sample of cells spread on a slide for medical examination. The lab analyzed the cervical smear. technical
Word origin
From Old English 'smerian', to anoint or smear with grease, from 'smeoru' (fat, grease); related to German 'schmieren' (to grease or smear).
Remember it
SMEAR shares its grease-roots with German 'schmieren' - both start by buttering a surface.
A little poem
One careless thumb across the drying page-
the truth still there, just smeared past being read.
couplet
Wordplay
- The gossip columnist also painted houses; either way the job was a smear campaign.
What it teaches
Mud thrown to smear another lands first on the hand that throws it.
Quick facts
What does SMEAR mean?
To spread a soft or greasy substance over a surface in a messy way.
Is SMEAR a valid word?
Yes — SMEAR is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is SMEAR?
SMEAR has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does SMEAR come from?
From Old English 'smerian', to anoint or smear with grease, from 'smeoru' (fat, grease); related to German 'schmieren' (to grease or smear).
What can SMEAR teach us?
Mud thrown to smear another lands first on the hand that throws it.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.