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

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

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

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

From Time Magazine Archive

The Journal, as alert and sharp-eyed as a rooster, has a tabloid-moralistic habit of playing up any smirch involving a Milwaukeean.

From Time Magazine Archive

She was evidently quite proud of her handsome daughter and that anything should come up to smirch her name cut her deeply.

From The Social Gangster by Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin) Reeve