Adjacent Words

Smooth definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SMOOTH, a. [L. mitis.]
1. Having an even surface, or a surface so even that no roughness or points are perceptible to the touch; not rough; as smooth glass; smooth porcelain. The out lines must be smooth, imperceptible to the touch.
2. To free from obstruction; to make easy. Thou, Abelard, the last sad office pay, And smooth my passage to the realms of day.
3. To free from harshness; to make flowing. In their motions harmony divine so smooths her charming tones.'
4. To palliate; to soften; as, to smooth a fault.
5. To calm; to mollify; to allay. Each perturbation smooth'd with outward calm.
6. To ease. The difficulty smoothed.
7. To flatter; to soften with blandishments. Because I cannot flatter and look fair, smile in men's faces, smooth, deceive and coy.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities; "smooth skin"; "a smooth tabletop"; "smooth fabric"; "a smooth road"; "water as smooth as a mirror" [ant: rough, unsmooth]
2: smoothly agreeable and courteous with a degree of sophistication; "he was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage"; "the manager pacified the customer with a smooth apology for the error" [syn: politic, smooth, suave, bland]
3: of the margin of a leaf shape; not broken up into teeth [ant: rough]
4: smooth and unconstrained in movement; "a long, smooth stride"; "the fluid motion of a cat"; "the liquid grace of a ballerina" [syn: fluent, fluid, liquid, smooth]
5: (music) without breaks between notes; smooth and connected; "a legato passage" [syn: legato, smooth] [ant: disconnected, staccato]
6: of motion that runs or flows or proceeds without jolts or turbulence; "a smooth ride" [ant: bumpy, jolting, jolty, jumpy, rocky, rough]
7: lacking obstructions or difficulties; "the bill's path through the legislature was smooth and orderly"
8: (of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves; "a ribbon of sand between the angry sea and the placid bay"; "the quiet waters of a lagoon"; "a lake of tranquil blue water reflecting a tranquil blue sky"; "a smooth channel crossing"; "scarcely a ripple on the still water"; "unruffled water" [syn: placid, quiet, still, tranquil, smooth, unruffled] n
1: the act of smoothing; "he gave his hair a quick smooth" v
1: make smooth or smoother, as if by rubbing; "smooth the surface of the wood" [syn: smooth, smoothen] [ant: roughen]
2: make (a surface) shine; "shine the silver, please"; "polish my shoes" [syn: polish, smooth, smoothen, shine]
3: free from obstructions; "smooth the way towards peace negotiations" [syn: smooth, smooth out]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English smothe, from Old English sm?th; akin to Old Saxon sm?thi smooth Date: before 12th century 1. a. (1) having a continuous even surface (2) of a curve being the representation of a function with a continuous first derivative (3) having or being a short even coat of hair <a smooth collie> — compare rough, wirehaired b. being without hair c. glabrous <a smooth leaf> d. causing no resistance to sliding 2. free from difficulties or impediments <the smooth course of his life> 3. even and uninterrupted in flow or flight 4. excessively and often artfully suave ; ingratiating <a smooth operator> 5. a. serene, equable <a smooth disposition> b. amiable, courteous 6. a. not sharp or harsh <a smooth sherry> b. free from lumps Synonyms: see level, easy, suave • smooth adverb • smoothly adverb • smoothness noun II. verb (smoothed; smoothing; smooths; also smoothes) Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to make smooth 2. a. to free from what is harsh or disagreeable ; polish <smoothed out his style> b. soothe 3. to minimize (as a fault) especially in order to allay anger or ill will <his main job is to smooth over the friction that so often arises — Brian Crozier> 4. to free from obstruction or difficulty <conciliation smoothed the way to an agreement> 5. a. to press flat <smoothed down the folds of her dress> b. to remove expression from (one's face) ; compose 6. to cause to lie evenly and in order ; preen <a bird smoothing its feathers> 7. to free (as a graph or data) from irregularities intransitive verb to become smooth • smoother noun III. noun Date: 15th century 1. a smooth part 2. the act of smoothing 3. a smoothing implement

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj., v., n., & adv. --adj. 1 having a relatively even and regular surface; free from perceptible projections, lumps, indentations, and roughness. 2 not wrinkled, pitted, scored, or hairy (smooth skin). 3 that can be traversed without check. 4 (of liquids) of even consistency; without lumps (mix to a smooth paste). 5 (of the sea etc.) without waves or undulations. 6 (of a journey, passage, progress, etc.) untroubled by difficulties or adverse conditions. 7 having an easy flow or correct rhythm (smooth breathing; a smooth metre). 8 a not harsh in sound or taste. b (of wine etc.) not astringent. 9 (of a person, his or her manner, etc.) suave, conciliatory, flattering, unruffled, or polite (a smooth talker; he's very smooth). 10 (of movement etc.) not suddenly varying; not jerky. --v. 1 tr. & intr. (often foll. by out, down) make or become smooth. 2 (often foll. by out, down, over, away) a tr. reduce or get rid of (differences, faults, difficulties, etc.) in fact or appearance. b intr. (of difficulties etc.) diminish, become less obtrusive (it will all smooth over). 3 tr. modify (a graph, curve, etc.) so as to lessen irregularities. 4 tr. free from impediments or discomfort (smooth the way; smooth the declining years). --n. 1 a smoothing touch or stroke (gave his hair a smooth). 2 the easy part of life (take the rough with the smooth). --adv. smoothly (the course of true love never did run smooth). Phrases and idioms: in smooth water having passed obstacles or difficulties. smooth-bore a gun with an unrifled barrel. smooth-faced hypocritically friendly. smoothing-iron hist. a flat-iron. smoothing-plane a small plane for finishing the planing of wood. smooth muscle a muscle without striations, usu. occurring in hollow organs and performing involuntary functions. smooth talk colloq. bland specious language. smooth-talk v.tr. address or persuade with this. smooth-tongued insincerely flattering. Derivatives: smoothable adj. smoother n. smoothish adj. smoothly adv. smoothness n. Etymology: OE smoth

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Smooth Smooth, v. i. To flatter; to use blandishment. Because I can not flatter and speak fair, Smile in men's faces, smooth, deceive and cog. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Smooth Smooth (sm[=oo][th]), a. [Compar. Smoother (-[~e]r); superl. Smoothest.] [OE. smothe, smethe, AS. sm[=e][eth]e, sm[oe][eth]e, where [=e], [oe], come from an older [=o]; cf. LG. sm["o]de, sm["o]e, sm["o]dig; of uncertain origin.] 1. 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. --Chaucer. The outlines must be smooth, imperceptible to the touch, and even, without eminence or cavities. --Dryden. 2. Evenly spread or arranged; sleek; as, smooth hair. 3. Gently flowing; moving equably; not ruffled or obstructed; as, a smooth stream. 4. Flowing or uttered without check, obstruction, or hesitation; not harsh; voluble; even; fluent. The only smooth poet of those times. --Milton. Waller was smooth; but Dryden taught to join The varying verse, the full-resounding line. --Pope. When sage Minerva rose, From her sweet lips smooth elocution flows. --Gay. 5. Bland; mild; smoothing; fattering. This smooth discourse and mild behavior oft Conceal a traitor. --Addison. 6. (Mech. & Physics) Causing no resistance to a body sliding along its surface; frictionless. Note: Smooth is often used in the formation of selfexplaining 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. Syn: Even; plain; level; flat; polished; glossy; sleek; soft; bland; mild; soothing; voluble; flattering; adulatory; deceptive.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Smooth Smooth, adv. Smoothly. --Chaucer. Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Smooth Smooth, n. 1. The act of making smooth; a stroke which smooths. --Thackeray. 2. That which is smooth; the smooth part of anything. ``The smooth of his neck.'' --Gen. xxvii. 16.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Smooth Smooth, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Smoothed (sm[=oo]thd); p. pr. & vb. n. Smoothing.] [OE. smothen, smethen, AS. sm[=e][eth]ian; cf. LG. sm["o]den. See Smooth, a.] 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. --Pope. (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. --Milton. (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. --Milton. (e) To ease; to regulate. --Dryden.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(smoother, smoothest, smooths, smoothing, smoothed) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. A smooth surface has no roughness, lumps, or holes. ...a rich cream that keeps skin soft and smooth. ...a smooth surface such as glass... The flagstones beneath their feet were worn smooth by centuries of use. ? rough ADJ 2. A smooth liquid or mixture has been mixed well so that it has no lumps. Continue whisking until the mixture looks smooth and creamy... ? lumpy ADJ 3. If you describe a drink such as wine, whisky, or coffee as smooth, you mean that it is not bitter and is pleasant to drink. This makes the whiskeys much smoother. ? rough, harsh ADJ 4. A smooth line or movement has no sudden breaks or changes in direction or speed. This exercise is done in one smooth motion. ADJ • smoothly Make sure that you execute all movements smoothly and without jerking... ADV: ADV with v 5. A smooth ride, flight, or sea crossing is very comfortable because there are no unpleasant movements. The active suspension system gives the car a very smooth ride. ? bumpy, rough ADJ 6. You use smooth to describe something that is going well and is free of problems or trouble. Political hopes for a swift and smooth transition to democracy have been dashed... ADJ • smoothly So far, talks at GM have gone smoothly... ADV: ADV with v 7. If you describe a man as smooth, you mean that he is extremely smart, confident, and polite, often in a way that you find rather unpleasant. Twelve extremely good-looking, smooth young men have been picked as finalists... ADJ 8. If you smooth something, you move your hands over its surface to make it smooth and flat. She stood up and smoothed down her frock... Bardo smoothed his moustache. VERB: V n with adv, V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Even, level, flat, plain, polished. 2. Sleek, glossy, polished, soft, plane. 3. Unruffled, undisturbed. 4. Easy, voluble, fluent, even, ready. 5. Bland, mild, soothing, insinuating, soft, suave, oily, flattering, adulatory, courtier-like, fair-spoken, smooth-spoken, smooth-tongued, deceptive. 6. Pleasant, agreeable. II. v. a. 1. Level, flatten, make smooth. 2. Ease, make easy. 3. Palliate, soften, extenuate, varnish, plaster. 4. Calm, allay, assuage, mollify, mitigate, alleviate. 5. Regulate, ease.

Moby Thesaurus

Ciceronian, Demosthenian, Demosthenic, Machiavellian, Machiavellic, Mickey Mouse, Tullian, accordant, acomous, acute, adipose, adulatory, agreeable, aid, align, alike, all jaw, allay, ameliorate, appease, arch, arrowlike, artful, articulate, articulated, assimilate to, assuage, astute, at rest, attenuate, attenuated, automatic, balance, balanced, bald, bald-headed, balmy, bare, beardless, believable, bland, blandishing, blarneying, blubbery, buff, burnish, burnished, buttery, butyraceous, cagey, cajoling, calender, calm, calm down, candid, canny, casual, catenated, ceaseless, chatty, chrismal, chrismatory, civilized, clean-shaven, clear, clear the way, clever, cloistered, coarsen, communicative, compose, concatenated, conciliate, concinnate, concinnous, connected, conniving, consistent, consonant, constant, continual, continued, continuing, continuous, correspondent, courteous, courtierly, courtly, cradle, crafty, credible, cunning, cursive, cushy, cute, cyclical, dab, dainty, damp, dead straight, deceitful, deep, deep-laid, defuse, delicate, depilated, depilous, designing, diplomatic, direct, disarming, disentangle, downy, drag, dress, dub, dulcet, dulcify, dwindling, ease, easy, easy as pie, ebbing, effortless, effusive, elegant, eloquent, endless, equable, equal, equalize, equilibrize, euphonic, euphonical, euphonious, even, even out, even-tenored, expansive, expedite, explain, extend, facile, facilitate, facund, faint, fair-spoken, fat, fatty, fawning, featureless, felicitous, feline, fell, filmy, fine, fine-drawn, fine-grained, fine-spoken, finespun, flat, flatly, flatten, flattened, flattering, flip, flowing, fluent, fluffy, flush, foxy, frank, free, fulsome, furbish, fuzzy, gabby, gapless, garrulous, gassy, gauzy, gentle, glabrate, glabrescent, glabrous, glassy, glib, gloss over, glossy, gossamer, gossamery, gossipy, graceful, grade, grain, granulate, grease, grease the ways, grease the wheels, greasy, gregarious, guileful, gushing, gushy, hairless, halcyon, harmonious, harmonize, harrow, hasten, help along, homaloidal, homogeneous, homogenize, honey-mouthed, honey-tongued, honeyed, horizontal, hush, hushed, immediate, immutable, impassive, in a line, incessant, ingenious, ingratiating, insidious, insincere, insinuating, interminable, invariable, inventive, iron, isolated, joined, jointless, knowing, lardaceous, lardy, lay, lay down, lay flat, lay level, lay low, lay out, lay the dust, leiotrichous, lenient, lessen, level, light, lineal, linear, linked, long-winded, loose, loquacious, lubricate, lull, make clear, make uniform, make way for, mangle, mealymouthed, measured, mechanical, mellow, methodic, mild, minimize, mitigate, moldering, mollify, monolithic, monotonous, mow, mucoid, multiloquent, multiloquious, naked, never-ending, newsy, nonchalant, nonstop, normalize, nothing to it, obsequious, of a piece, oil, oily, oily-tongued, oleaginous, oleic, open, open the way, open up, ordered, orderly, overtalkative, pacific, pacify, painless, palliate, pave, pave the way, pawky, peaceable, peaceful, perennial, perfect, periodic, persistent, persuasive, placate, placid, plain, plane, planish, plaster, plausible, pleasant, pleasing, polish, polished, polite, politic, pour balm into, pour balm on, prepare, prepare the way, press, prime, prolix, propitiate, pubescent, put straight, quell, quicken, quiescent, quiet, rase, raze, ready, rectify, rectilineal, rectilinear, recurrent, reduce, refine, refined, regular, regularize, regulate, remove friction, repetitive, reposeful, reposing, resourceful, rest, restful, resting, rich, right, robotlike, rock, rock to sleep, roll, roll flat, rolled, roughen, round, round-the-clock, royal, rub up, ruler-straight, run interference for, running, sand, sandblast, sandpaper, satin, satiny, scheming, seamless, sebaceous, secluded, sequestered, sequestrated, serene, serpentine, serried, set straight, sharp, shave, shaven, sheltered, shifty, shine, shiny, shrewd, silken, silky, silver, silver-tongued, simple, simple as ABC, simplify, sit up, sleek, slick, slimy, slippery, slobbery, sly, smarmy, smooth down, smooth out, smooth over, smooth the way, smooth-faced, smooth-running, smooth-shaven, smooth-sounding, smooth-spoken, smooth-textured, smooth-tongued, smoothed out, smoothen, smoothened, smoothly, smug, snaky, sneaky, soap the ways, soapy, sociable, soft, soft-soaping, soft-spoken, soften, soignee, soothe, soothing, sophistical, speed, spellbinding, squashed, squashed flat, stabilize, stable, stand up, standardize, steadfast, steady, stealthy, steamroll, steamroller, stereotype, still, still as death, stillish, stilly, stoic, stolid, straight, straight-cut, straight-front, straight-side, straighten, straighten out, straighten up, straightforward, strategic, streamlined, suave, suave-spoken, subdue, subsiding, subtile, subtle, suety, supple, sweet, sycophantic, symmetrical, symmetrize, syrupy, systematic, tabloid, tabular, tactical, talkative, talky, tallowy, temper, thin-spun, tonsured, tooth, tranquil, tranquilize, trickish, tricksy, tricky, tripping, trodden, trodden flat, true, twenty-four-hour, unagitated, unbar, unbend, unbending, unbent, unblock, unbowed, unbroken, unburdensome, unceasing, unchangeable, unchanged, unchanging, unclog, uncluttered, uncomplicated, unconstrained, unctuous, uncurl, uncurved, undeflected, undeviating, undifferentiated, undistorted, undisturbed, undiversified, unending, uneventful, unguent, unguentary, unguentous, uniform, uniformize, uniformly, unintermitted, unintermittent, unintermitting, uninterrupted, unjam, unkink, unmoved, unobstructed, unperturbed, unrelieved, unremitting, unrough, unroughened, unruffled, unsnarl, unstirring, unstopped, unswerving, untroubled, untroublesome, unturned, unvaried, unvarying, upright, urbane, velutinous, velvety, verbose, vertical, voluble, vulpine, waning, wary, well-ordered, well-spoken, wheedling, wily, windy, winning, wiredrawn