SMOOTH • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Smooth

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adjective

Smooth adj. (compar. smoother; superl. smoothest)

Having an even surface, or a surface so even that no roughness or points can be perceived by the touch; not rough; as, smooth glass; smooth porcelain. "The outlines must be smooth, imperceptible to the touch, and even, without eminence or cavities."

Evenly spread or arranged; sleek; as, smooth hair.

Gently flowing; moving equably; not ruffled or obstructed; as, a smooth stream.

Flowing or uttered without check, obstruction, or hesitation; not harsh; voluble; even; fluent. "The only smooth poet of those times." "Waller was smooth; but Dryden taught to join The varying verse, the full-resounding line." "When sage Minerva rose, From her sweet lips smooth elocution flows."

Bland; mild; smoothing; fattering. "This smooth discourse and mild behavior oft Conceal a traitor."

(Mech. & Physics) Causing no resistance to a body sliding along its surface; frictionless. Note: Smooth is often used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, smooth-bodied, smooth-browed, smooth-combed, smooth-faced, smooth-finished, smooth-gliding, smooth-grained, smooth-leaved, smooth-sliding, smooth-speaking, smooth-woven, and the like.

Synonyms: Even; plain; level; flat; polished; glossy; sleek; soft; bland; mild; soothing; voluble; flattering; adulatory; deceptive.

verb

Smooth v. t. (past & past part. smoothed; pres. part. smoothing) To make smooth; to make even on the surface by any means; as, to smooth a board with a plane; to smooth cloth with an iron. Specifically:

(a)

To free from obstruction; to make easy. "Thou, Abelard! the last sad office pay, And smooth my passage to the realms of day."

(b)

To free from harshness; to make flowing. "In their motions harmony divine So smooths her charming tones that God's own ear Listens delighted."

(c)

To palliate; to gloze; as, to smooth over a fault.

(d)

To give a smooth or calm appearance to. "Each perturbation smoothed with outward calm."

(e)

To ease; to regulate.

Smooth v. i. (past & past part. smoothed; pres. part. smoothing) To flatter; to use blandishment. "Because I can not flatter and speak fair, Smile in men's faces, smooth, deceive and cog."

noun

Smooth n.

The act of making smooth; a stroke which smooths.

That which is smooth; the smooth part of anything. "The smooth of his neck."

adverb

Smooth adv. Smoothly. "Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep."

See images of 'Smooth'

Etymology of 'Smooth'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Smooth" Quotes from Famous Books

... Cold-blooded, smooth-faced, placid miscreant! Dabbling its sleek young hands in Erin's gore, And thus for wider carnage taught to pant, Transferred to gorge upon a sister shore, The vulgarest tool that tyranny could want, With just enough of talent and no more, To lengthen fetters by another fixed ...

— Don Juan • Lord Byron

... flower its perfume, when the willing hand can reach it too easily. There must be doubt—there must be danger—there must be difficulty; and if, as the poet says, the course of ardent affection never does run smooth, it is perhaps because, without some intervening obstacle, that which is called the romantic passion of love, in its high poetical character and colouring can hardly have an existence—any more than there can be a current in a river ...

— Redgauntlet • Sir Walter Scott

... touched by the heartrending tales of the messenger. What could she do! She was as poor as her maids; she had jewels, many jewels, but not a franc. Then Argensola came to the rescue with a solution worthy of his experience. He would smooth the way for the good mother, leaving some of her jewels at the Mont-de-Piete. He knew the way to raise money on them. So the lady accepted his advice, giving him, however, only jewels of medium value as she suspected that she might never ...

— The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse • Vicente Blasco Ibanez

... quick, smooth footsteps. Two figures, one behind the other, approached him, almost running, eagerly, girlishly, with little cries. The first was Queen, who wore a white skirt and a very close-fitting black jersey. Concepcion also wore a white skirt and a very close-fitting black jersey, but with a long ...

— The Pretty Lady • Arnold E. Bennett

... constitute a distinct genus, viz., Zelkova, which differs materially from the true Planer tree in the structure of the fruit, etc. Z. crenata, from the Caucasus, and Z. acuminata, from Japan, are quick growing, handsome trees, with smooth bark not unlike that of beech or hornbeam; it is only when the trees are old that the bark is cast off in rather large sized plates, as is the case with the planes. The habit of both is somewhat ...

— Scientific American Supplement, No. 417 • Various

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