smear

smear
I UK [smɪə(r)] / US [smɪr] verb
Word forms "smear":
present tense I/you/we/they smear he/she/it smears present participle smearing past tense smeared past participle smeared
1) [transitive] to spread a soft or liquid substance on a surface in an untidy way

She toasted the bread and smeared cream cheese on top.

be smeared with something:

His face was smeared with mud.

2) [intransitive/transitive] if you smear paint, ink, or a similar substance, or if it smears, it spreads accidentally and makes a mess

The ink tends to smear on shiny paper.

3) [transitive] to make the surface of something dirty by rubbing it

The glass was so smeared I could hardly see my reflection in it.

4) [transitive] to try to damage someone's reputation by telling lies about them

This is a cynical attempt to smear a political rival.


II UK [smɪə(r)] / US [smɪr] noun [countable]
Word forms "smear":
singular smear plural smears
1) a dirty mark made by rubbing something
2) an attempt to damage someone's reputation by telling lies about them
3) British a smear test

English dictionary. 2014.

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  • Smear — (senkrechter, weißer Strich unter der Lichtquelle) Als Smear oder auch Smear Effekt bezeichnet man bei digitalen Kameras weiße Streifen im Bild, die bei besonders hellen Lichtquellen im Bildbereich auftreten. Wenn die Lichtquelle eine… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • smear — [smɪə ǁ smɪr] noun [countable] an attempt to harm someone by spreading untrue stories about them: • Was this just another political smear? • The media had launched a smear campaign against him. smear verb [transitive] : • Republicans were trying… …   Financial and business terms

  • smear´er — smear «smihr», verb, noun, adjective. –v.t. 1. to cover or stain with anything sticky, grease or dirty: »She smeared her fingers with jam. 2. to rub or spread (oil, grease, or paint): »to smear paint on one s hands. 3. to rub or wipe (a brush,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • smear|y — «SMIHR ee», adjective, smear|i|er, smear|i|est. 1. marked by a smear or smears; smeared. 2. tending to smear. –smear´i|ness …   Useful english dictionary

  • Smear — (sm[=e]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Smeared} (sm[=e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Smearing}.] [OE. smeren, smerien, AS. smierwan, smyrwan, fr. smeoru fat, grease; akin to D. smeren, OHG. smirwen, G. schmieren, Icel. smyrja to anoint. See {Smear}, n.] 1. To… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • smear — [smir] vt. [ME smerien < OE smerian, to anoint, akin to Ger schmieren < IE base * smeru , grease > OIr smir, marrow & (prob.) L medulla, marrow] 1. to cover, daub, or soil with something greasy, sticky, or dirty 2. to apply or daub… …   English World dictionary

  • Smear — Smear, n. [OE. smere,. smeoru fat, grease; akin to D. smeer, G. schmeer, OHG. smero, Icel. smj[ o]r, Sw. & Dan. sm[ o]r butter, Goth. sma[ i]r[thorn]r fatness, smarna dung; cf. Lith. smarsas fat. Cf. {Smirch}.] 1. A fat, oily substance; oinment.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • smear — sb., en, smear, ene (undersøgelse af celler fra fx livmoderhalsen), i sms. smear , fx smearprøve …   Dansk ordbog

  • smear — (v.) O.E. smerian to anoint or rub with grease, oil, etc., from P.Gmc. *smerthan (Cf. O.N. smyrva, Dan. smère, Swed. smörja, Du. smeren, O.H.G. smirwen, Ger. schmieren to smear ), from PIE *smeru grease (Cf. Gk. myron …   Etymology dictionary

  • smear — [v1] rub on, spread over apply, bedaub, besmirch, blur, coat, cover, dab, daub, defile, dirty, discolor, overlay, overspread, patch, plaster, slop, smudge, soil, spatter, spray, sprinkle, stain, sully, taint, tar, tarnish; concepts 172,202,215… …   New thesaurus

  • smear — smear. См. мазок. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

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