smile ◆◆◇ /sma I l/ (smiles , smiling , smiled )
1 VERB When you smile , the corners of your mouth curve up and you sometimes show your teeth. People smile when they are pleased or amused, or when they are being friendly. □ [V ] When he saw me, he smiled and waved. □ [V + at ] He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled ruefully at me. □ [V -ing] His smiling face appears on T-shirts, billboards, and posters.
2 N‑COUNT A smile is the expression that you have on your face when you smile. □ She gave a wry smile. □ 'There are some sandwiches if you're hungry,' she said with a smile.
3 VERB If you say that something such as fortune smiles on someone, you mean that they are lucky or successful. [LITERARY ] □ [V + on/upon ] When fortune smiled on him, he made the most of it.
4 PHRASE If you say that someone is all smiles , you mean that they look very happy, often when they have previously been worried or upset about something. SYNONYMS smile VERB 1
grin: He grins, delighted at the memory.
beam: Frances beamed at her friend with undisguised admiration.
smirk: Two men looked at me, nudged each other and smirked.
smi|ley /sma I li/ (smileys )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A smiley person smiles a lot or is smiling. [INFORMAL ] □ Two smiley babies are waiting for their lunch.
2 N‑COUNT A smiley is a symbol used in an email or a text to show how someone is feeling. :-) is a smiley showing happiness. [COMPUTING ]
smil|ing|ly /sma I l I ŋli/ ADV [ADV with v] If someone does something smilingly , they smile as they do it. [WRITTEN ] □ He opened the gate and smilingly welcomed the travellers home.
smirk /smɜː r k/ (smirks , smirking , smirked ) VERB If you smirk , you smile in an unpleasant way, often because you believe that you have gained an advantage over someone else or know something that they do not know. □ [V ] Two men looked at me, nudged each other and smirked.
smite /sma I t/ (smites , smiting , smote , smitten )
1 VERB To smite something means to hit it hard. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] …the heroic leader charging into battle, sword held high, ready to smite the enemy.
2 → see also smitten
smith|er|eens /sm I ðəriː nz/ N‑PLURAL [usu to N ] If something is smashed or blown to smithereens , it breaks into very small pieces. □ She dropped the vase and smashed it to smithereens.
smithy /sm I ði/ (smithies ) N‑COUNT A smithy is a place where a blacksmith works.
smit|ten /sm I t ə n/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are smitten , you find someone so attractive that you are or seem to be in love with them. □ [+ with/by ] They were totally smitten with each other.
2 Smitten is the past participle of smite .
smock /smɒ k/ (smocks )
1 N‑COUNT A smock is a loose garment, rather like a long blouse, usually worn by women. □ She was wearing wool slacks and a paisley smock.
2 N‑COUNT A smock is a loose garment worn by people such as artists to protect their clothing.
smocked /smɒ kt/ ADJ A smocked dress or top is decorated with smocking. □ She was pretty and young, in a loose smocked sundress.
smock|ing /smɒ k I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Smocking is a decoration on tops and dresses which is made by gathering the material into folds using small stitches.
smog /smɒ g/ (smogs ) N‑VAR Smog is a mixture of fog and smoke which occurs in some busy industrial cities. □ Cars cause pollution, both smog and acid rain.
smog|gy /smɒ gi/ (smoggier , smoggiest ) ADJ A smoggy city or town is badly affected by smog. □ …the smoggy sprawl of Los Angeles.
smoke ◆◆◇ /smoʊ k/ (smokes , smoking , smoked )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Smoke consists of gas and small bits of solid material that are sent into the air when something burns. □ A cloud of black smoke blew over the city. □ The air was thick with smoke.
2 VERB If something is smoking , smoke is coming from it. □ [V ] The chimney was smoking fiercely. □ [V -ing] …a pile of smoking rubble.
3 VERB When someone smokes a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, they suck the smoke from it into their mouth and blow it out again. If you smoke , you regularly smoke cigarettes, cigars, or a pipe. □ [V n] He was sitting alone, smoking a big cigar. □ [V ] Do you smoke? ● N‑SING Smoke is also a noun. □ Someone came out for a smoke. ● smok|er (smokers ) N‑COUNT □ He was not a heavy smoker.
4 VERB [usu passive] If fish or meat is smoked , it is hung over burning wood so that the smoke preserves it and gives it a special flavour. □ [be V -ed] …the grid where the fish were being smoked. □ [V -ed] …smoked bacon.
5 → see also smoked , smoking
6 PHRASE If someone says there's no smoke without fire or where there's smoke there's fire , they mean that there are rumours or signs that something is true so it must be at least partly true.