smite
Americanverb (used with object)
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to strike or hit hard, with or as with the hand, a stick, or other weapon.
She smote him on the back with her umbrella.
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to deliver or deal (a blow, hit, etc.) by striking hard.
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to strike down, injure, or slay.
His sword had smitten thousands.
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to afflict or attack with deadly or disastrous effect.
smitten by polio.
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to affect mentally or morally with a sudden pang.
His conscience smote him.
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to affect suddenly and strongly with a specified feeling.
They were smitten with terror.
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to impress favorably; charm; enamor.
He was smitten by her charms.
verb (used without object)
idioms
verb
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to strike with a heavy blow or blows
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to damage with or as if with blows
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to afflict or affect severely
smitten with flu
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to afflict in order to punish
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to strike forcibly or abruptly
the sun smote down on him
Other Word Forms
- smiter noun
Etymology
Origin of smite
First recorded before 900; Middle English smiten, Old English smītan; cognate with German schmeissen “to throw,” Dutch smijten
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I’ve never touched a gun nor smote anything larger than a stink bug.
Bedraggled and bleeding, he opens his eyes to find Anna ministering to him and is rhapsodically smitten.
Not the most original sketch idea, but the specific details of the characters and Padilla’s smitten reactions as the bachelorette saved the sketch from overstaying its welcome.
From Los Angeles Times
But I am absolutely smitten by the fuel economy: 36/32/34 mpg, city/hwy/combined, according to the EPA’s test method.
For me the most fun thing to play was just how smitten he is.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
