7 ADJ 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.
8 VERB If you smooth something, you move your hands over its surface to make it smooth and flat. □ [V n with adv] She stood up and smoothed down her frock. □ [V n] Bardo smoothed his moustache.
▸ smooth out PHRASAL VERB If you smooth out a problem or difficulty, you solve it, especially by talking to the people concerned. □ [V P n] Baker was smoothing out differences with European allies. □ [V n P ] It's O.K. I smoothed things out.
▸ smooth over PHRASAL VERB If you smooth over a problem or difficulty, you make it less serious and easier to deal with, especially by talking to the people concerned. □ [V P n] …an attempt to smooth over the violent splits that have occurred. □ [V n P ] The Chancellor is trying to smooth things over.
smoothie /smuː ði/ (smoothies )
1 N‑VAR A smoothie is a thick drink made from crushed fruit, sometimes with yogurt or ice cream added.
2 N‑COUNT If you describe a man as a smoothie , you mean that he is extremely smart, confident, and polite, often in a way that you find rather unpleasant. [INFORMAL , OLD-FASHIONED ]
smoo th-ta lking ADJ A smooth-talking man talks very confidently in a way that is likely to persuade people, but may not be sincere or honest. □ …the smooth-talking conman who has wrecked their lives.
smor|gas|bord /smɔː r gəsbɔː r d/
1 N‑SING Smorgasbord is a meal with a variety of hot and cold savoury dishes, from which people serve themselves.
2 N‑SING A smorgasbord of things is a number of different things that are combined together as a whole. [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ of ] …a smorgasbord of paintings and sculpture.
smote /smoʊ t/ Smote is the past tense of smite .
smoth|er /smʌ ðə r / (smothers , smothering , smothered )
1 VERB If you smother a fire, you cover it with something in order to put it out. □ [V n] The girl's parents were also burned as they tried to smother the flames.
2 VERB To smother someone means to kill them by covering their face with something so that they cannot breathe. □ [V n] A father was secretly filmed as he tried to smother his six-week-old son in hospital.
3 VERB Things that smother something cover it completely. □ [V n] Once the shrubs begin to smother the little plants, we have to move them.
4 VERB If you smother someone, you show your love for them too much and protect them too much. □ [V n] She loved her own children, almost smothering them with love.
5 VERB If you smother an emotion or a reaction, you control it so that people do not notice it. □ [V n] She summoned up all her pity for him, to smother her self-pity. □ [V -ed] …smothered giggles.
6 VERB If an activity or process is smothered , it is prevented from continuing or developing. □ [be V -ed] Intellectual life in France was smothered by the Occupation. □ [V n] The wrong structure aborts results and smothers even the best-directed efforts.
smoul|der /smoʊ ldə r / (smoulders , smouldering , smouldered ) in AM, use smolder 1 VERB If something smoulders , it burns slowly, producing smoke but not flames. □ [V ] A number of buildings around the Parliament were still smouldering today.
2 VERB If a feeling such as anger or hatred smoulders inside you, you continue to feel it but do not show it. □ [V ] Baxter smouldered as he drove home for lunch.
3 VERB If you say that someone smoulders , you mean that they are sexually attractive, usually in a mysterious or very intense way. □ [V + with ] The actress seems to smoulder with sexuality.
SMS /e s em e s/ N‑UNCOUNT SMS is a way of sending short written messages from one mobile phone to another. SMS is an abbreviation for 'short message system'.
smudge /smʌ dʒ/ (smudges , smudging , smudged )
1 N‑COUNT A smudge is a dirty mark. □ There was a dark smudge on his forehead. □ …smudges of blood.
2 VERB If you smudge a substance such as ink, paint, or make-up that has been put on a surface, you make it less neat by touching or rubbing it. □ [V n] Smudge the outline using a cotton-wool bud. □ [V -ed] Her lipstick was smudged. [Also V ]
3 VERB If you smudge a surface, you make it dirty by touching it and leaving a substance on it. □ [V n] She kissed me, careful not to smudge me with her fresh lipstick.
smudgy /smʌ dʒi/ (smudgier , smudgiest ) ADJ If something is smudgy , its outline is unclear. □ The hand-writing is smudgy. □ …smudgy photos.
smug /smʌ g/ ADJ If you say that someone is smug , you are criticizing the fact they seem very pleased with how good, clever, or lucky they are. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Thomas and his wife looked at each other in smug satisfaction.
smug|gle /smʌ g ə l/ (smuggles , smuggling , smuggled ) VERB If someone smuggles things or people into a place or out of it, they take them there illegally or secretly. □ [V n] …speculation that the Arctic Sea is being used for smuggling weapons. □ [V n prep] The gang was allegedly smuggling migrants from Calais to Britain. □ [V n with adv] Had it really been impossible to find someone who could smuggle out a letter? ● smug|gling N‑UNCOUNT □ An air hostess was arrested and charged with drug smuggling.