smile

[ smahyl ]

/ smaɪl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR smile ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), smiled, smil·ing.

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.

verb (used with object), smiled, smil·ing.

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.

noun

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.

Verb Phrases

smile at,

to regard with pleasure or amusement, as with a smile.
to regard with mild derision: to smile at someone's affectations.

RELATED WORDS

smirk, laugh, grin, beam, simper

Nearby words

Origin of smile

1250–1300; Middle English smyllen (v.); cognate with Old High German smīlan, Danish smile

SYNONYMS FOR smile

1, 7. See laugh.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR smile ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR smile

1, 7. frown.

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Related forms

smile·less, adjectivesmile·less·ly, adverbsmile·less·ness, nounsmil·er, noun

smil·ing·ly, adverbhalf-smil·ing, adjectivehalf-smil·ing·ly, adverbout·smile, verb (used with object), out·smiled, out·smil·ing.sub·smile, nounun·smil·ing, adjectiveun·smil·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for smile

For those living in poor communities in particular, interactions with police rarely come with good news and a smile.
How to Solve the Policing Crisis|Keli Goff|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
At this point Marvin gives his Liberty Valance smile, the kind that makes you wish you could disintegrate in front of him.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Nobody terrified audiences with a smile as well as Lee Marvin.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Two years ago, a Party apparatchik surveyed the site of a fatal traffic accident… with a smile on his face.
China’s Internet Is Freer Than You Think|Brendon Hong|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“A few words and we fell in love,” she says, the smile of her teenage years returning to her face.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda|Ruth Michaelson|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I think I have heard Captain Burton say that he had irregular teeth, which made his smile unpleasant.
The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 13, No. 78, April, 1864|Various
She had the smile called wide, and it lit up her whole face with rare flashes of dormant humor.
The Girl Scouts at Camp Comalong|Lillian Garis
Let us smile at the heavy seriousness of those who suppose that this man meant everything he said.
Philosophy and The Social Problem|Will Durant
They would die for a smile from Csar, gazing at him with eyes of childlike adoration.
The Death of the Gods|Dmitri Mrejkowski
With a smile, and many renewed expressions of thankfulness, the hopeful tradesman paid his penny.
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. III, No. XVII, October 1851|Various

British Dictionary definitions for smile

smile

/ (smaɪl) /

noun

a facial expression characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth, usually showing amusement, friendliness, etc, but sometimes scorn, etc

favour or blessingthe smile of fortune

an agreeable appearance

verb

(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 smileshe smiled a welcome

(tr often foll by away) to drive away or change by smilingsmile away one's tears

come up smiling to recover cheerfully from misfortune

Derived Formssmiler, nounsmiling, adjectivesmilingly, adverbsmilingness, noun

Word Origin for smile

C13: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish smila, Danish smile; related to Middle High German smielen

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

Word Origin and History for smile

smile

c.1300, perhaps from Middle Low German *smilen or a Scandinavian source (e.g. Danish smile "smile," Swedish smila "smile, smirk, simper, fawn"), from Proto-Germanic *smil-, extended form of PIE root *smei- "to laugh, smile" (cf. Old English smerian "to laugh at, scorn," Old High German smieron "to smile," Latin mirus "wonderful," mirari "to wonder"). Related: Smiled; smiling.

Gradually pushed the usual Old English word, smearcian (modern smirk), into a specific, unpleasant sense. Of the eyes, from 1759. Figuratively, as indicating favor or encouragement, from c.1400. Romance, Celtic, and Slavic languages tend to use a diminutive of the word for "laugh" to mean "smile" (e.g. Latin ridere "laugh;" subridere "smile"), perhaps literally "small laugh" or "low laugh."

smile

1560s, from smile (v.).

Idioms and Phrases with smile

smile

In addition to the idiom beginning with smile

smile on

also see:

crack a smile

smile

verb (used without object), smiled, smil·ing.

verb (used with object), smiled, smil·ing.

noun

Verb Phrases

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of smile

Examples from the Web for smile

smile

noun

verb

Word Origin for smile

smile

smile

smile