smile
to assume a facial expression indicating pleasure, favor, or amusement, but sometimes derision or scorn, characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth.
to regard with favor: Luck smiled on us that night.
to have a pleasant or agreeable appearance or aspect, as natural scenes, objects, etc.: The landscape smiled in the sunlight.
to assume or give (a smile, especially of a given kind): She smiled a warm and friendly smile.
to express by a smile: to smile approval.
to bring, put, drive, etc., by or as by smiling: to smile one's tears away.
the act or an instance of smiling; a smiling expression of the face.
favor or kindly regard: fortune's smile.
a pleasant or agreeable appearance, look, or aspect.
smile at,
to regard with pleasure or amusement, as with a smile.
to regard with mild derision: to smile at someone's affectations.
Origin of smile
1synonym study For smile
Opposites for smile
Other words from smile
- smileless, adjective
- smile·less·ly, adverb
- smile·less·ness, noun
- smiler, noun
- smil·ing·ly, adverb
- half-smiling, adjective
- half-smil·ing·ly, adverb
- outsmile, verb (used with object), out·smiled, out·smil·ing.
- sub·smile, noun
- un·smil·ing, adjective
- un·smil·ing·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use smile in a sentence
And so he looked at her, smiled, and offered a polite “Is everything okay?”
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’ | Asawin Suebsaeng | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTHis swimming led him back to meet the woman he had gently smiled at in the first episode.
What On Earth Is ‘The Affair’ About? Season One’s Baffling Finale | Tim Teeman | December 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTShe smiled, too, her incisors creeping out from behind her lips.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau | Ian Frisch | December 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAt which Bezos turned to the packed audience, smiled weakly, and said: “This is Henry being nice to me!”
Jeff Bezos: ‘I See Millions Working in Outer Space’ | Lloyd Grove | December 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe clumsily sipped from the dainty straw of a blasphemously non-bourbon beverage and smiled broadly as he talked to fellow bros.
Wharton smiled at this littleness in so great a man, but determined that he should feel the power he despised.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterThe young man smiled at the girl, as he crushed up the notes and stuffed them into his pocket.
Rosemary in Search of a Father | C. N. WilliamsonThe girl smiled, and drew out a large key, and nodded, still smiling as she replaced it.
Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le FanuHe had the sun-scorched look of a traveller who has just crossed the Atlantic, and he smiled at Bernard with his honest eyes.
Confidence | Henry JamesMiss Anne smiled kindly, not dreaming of his perplexity, amused by his Southern warmth.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. Locke
British Dictionary definitions for smile
/ (smaɪl) /
a facial expression characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth, usually showing amusement, friendliness, etc, but sometimes scorn, etc
favour or blessing: the smile of fortune
an agreeable appearance
(intr) to wear or assume a smile
(intr foll by at)
to look (at) with a kindly or amused expression
to look derisively (at) instead of being annoyed
to bear (troubles, etc) patiently
(intr; foll by on or upon) to show approval; bestow a blessing
(tr) to express by means of a smile: she smiled a welcome
(tr often foll by away) to drive away or change by smiling: smile away one's tears
come up smiling to recover cheerfully from misfortune
Origin of smile
1Derived forms of smile
- smiler, noun
- smiling, adjective
- smilingly, adverb
- smilingness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with smile
In addition to the idiom beginning with smile
- smile on
also see:
- crack a smile
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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