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

---

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

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of smirch

First recorded in 1485–95; origin uncertain

---

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

Typical of the things which smirch the character of Judge English, as they were brought forth by Congressmen: A bootlegger sentenced by Judge English to four months in jail paid Mr. Thomas $2,500.

From Time Magazine Archive

The junior Senator, forgiving the smirch, would embrace and redeem.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nor, often, is his family, who may still regard mental illness as a shameful smirch and resist formal commitment to an institution until it is too late.

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

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---