smite

[ smahyt ]

/ smaɪt /

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See synonyms for: smite / smitten / smote on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), smote or (Obsolete) smit; smit·ten or smit; smit·ing.

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.

to deliver or deal (a blow, hit, etc.) by striking hard.

to strike down, injure, or slay: His sword had smitten thousands.

to afflict or attack with deadly or disastrous effect: smitten by polio.

to affect mentally or morally with a sudden pang: His conscience smote him.

to affect suddenly and strongly with a specified feeling: They were smitten with terror.

to impress favorably; charm; enamor: He was smitten by her charms.

verb (used without object), smote or (Obsolete) smit; smit·ten or smit; smit·ing.

to strike; deal a blow.

OTHER WORDS FOR smite

1 knock, cuff, buffet, slap.

See synonyms for smite on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about smite

smite hip and thigh. hip¹ (def. 9).

Origin of smite

before 900; Middle English smiten,Old English smītan; cognate with German schmeissen to throw, Dutch smijten

OTHER WORDS FROM smite

smiter, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use smite in a sentence

The rush for him was of the mind and spirit, not of the flesh, and yet for 50 questing years he did the wildest things, smitten by the tastes and the smells and the music of the elemental world and its species and its tribes.
Remembering My Friend Barry Lopez|Bob Shacochis|January 5, 2021|Outside Online
The girl scurried by and darted from the room, dodging the smiting hand which the host raised as she flew past him.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
I to church in the forenoon, and Mr. Mills made a good sermon upon David's heart smiting him for cutting off the garment of Saul.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys
So we awoke in the morning, with the sunshine smiting the snow into diamonds and a chickadee piping for breakfast.
The Idyl of Twin Fires|Walter Prichard Eaton

Richard felt his knees smiting together, and a darkening mist veiling his eyes.
God Wills It!|William Stearns Davis
The forgetfulness of self manifested in the smiting of the Egyptian shines through the whole life.
Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 3 of 8|Various

British Dictionary definitions for smite

smite

/ (smaɪt) /

verb smites, smiting, smote, smitten or smit (mainly tr) mainly archaic

to strike with a heavy blow or blows

to damage with or as if with blows

to afflict or affect severelysmitten with flu

to afflict in order to punish

(intr foll by on) to strike forcibly or abruptlythe sun smote down on him

Derived forms of smite

smiter, noun

Word Origin for smite

Old English smītan; related to Old High German smīzan to smear, Gothic bismeitan, Old Swedish smēta to daub

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

smite

OTHER WORDS FOR smite

Idioms about smite

Origin of smite

OTHER WORDS FROM smite

Words related to smite

How to use smite in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for smite

Derived forms of smite

Word Origin for smite