smirch

American  

[smurch] / smɜrtʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to discolor or soil; spot or smudge with or as with soot, dust, dirt, etc.

   Synonyms:

   dirty, smut, smear

   Antonyms:

   clean

2. to sully or tarnish (a person, reputation, character, etc.); disgrace; discredit.

   Synonyms:

   blot, taint

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noun

1. a dirty mark or smear, as of soot, dust, dirt, etc.

   Synonyms:

   smutch, smut, smudge

2. a stain or blot, as on reputation.

   Synonyms:

   taint

smirch British  

/ smɜːtʃ /

verb

1. to dirty; soil

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noun

1. the act of smirching or state of being smirched

2. a smear or stain

Other Word Forms

• smircher
  noun
• smirchless
  adjective
• unsmirched
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of smirch

First recorded in 1485–95; origin uncertain

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

smirch

"It's a smirch that never goes away.... If you dedicated yourself to serving the good, how would you cope with that?"

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2014

All the House is asked to do," said Representative Graham, "and all it is bound to do is to say in effect to Judge English: 'Here are things which smirch your ermine.

From Time Magazine Archive

Edward Graeb, called in from the Juvenile Bureau: "We do not intend to smirch the reputations of the high-school girls, most of whom are of prominent families."

From Time Magazine Archive

This record is stained by but one smirch: a year ago a painter succeeded in executing a work which the Society felt it was unable to present.

From Time Magazine Archive

Dorothy had loved a coronet with such fervor that she had been able to abandon everything that could smirch it.

From The Early Life and Adventures of Sylvia Scarlett by Compton MacKenzie

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