smooth

[ smooth ]

/ smuð /

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adjective, smooth·er, smooth·est.

free from projections or unevenness of surface; not rough: smooth wood; a smooth road.

generally flat or unruffled, as a calm sea.

free from hairs or a hairy growth: a smooth cheek.

of uniform consistency; free from lumps, as a batter, sauce, etc.

free from or proceeding without abrupt curves, bends, etc.: a smooth ride.

allowing or having an even, uninterrupted movement or flow: smooth driving.

easy and uniform, as motion or the working of a machine.

having projections worn away: a smooth tire casing.

free from hindrances or difficulties: a smooth day at the office.

noting a metal file having the minimum commercial grade of coarseness for a single-cut file.Compare dead-smooth.

undisturbed, tranquil, or equable, as the feelings, temper, etc.; serene: a smooth disposition.

elegant, easy, or polished: smooth manners.

ingratiatingly polite or suave: That salesman is a smooth talker.

free from harshness, sharpness, or bite; bland or mellow, as cheese or wine.

not harsh to the ear, as sound: the smooth music of a ballroom dance band.

Phonetics. without aspiration.

adverb

in a smooth manner; smoothly.

verb (used with object)

to make smooth of surface, as by scraping, planing, or pressing.

to remove (projections, ridges, wrinkles, etc.) in making something smooth (often followed by away or out).

to free from difficulties.

to remove (obstacles) from a path (often followed by away).

to make more polished, elegant, or agreeable, as wording or manners.

to tranquilize, calm, or soothe (a person, the feelings, etc.).

Mathematics. to simplify (an expression) by substituting approximate or certain known values for the variables.

noun

act of smoothing: She adjusted the folds with a smooth of her hand.

something that is smooth; a smooth part or place: through the rough and the smooth.

Verb Phrases

smooth over, to make seem less severe, disagreeable, or irreconcilable; allay; mitigate: He smoothed over my disappointment with kind words.

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salute

to call out to in order to stop, attract attention, ask aid, etc.

to wield power; exercise rule.

to express respect or praise for; honor; commend.

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Origin of smooth

before 1050; (adj.) Middle English smothe, late Old English smōth; compare Middle English smethe, Old English smēthe smooth; cognate with Old Saxon smōthi; (v.) late Middle English smothen, derivative of the adj.; replacing Middle English smethen, Old English smēth(i)an

SYNONYMS FOR smooth

1 glossy, polished, even, flat. See level.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR smooth ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM smooth

smooth·a·ble, adjectivesmooth·er, nounsmooth·ly, adverbsmooth·ness, noun

o·ver·smooth, adjectiveo·ver·smooth·ly, adverbo·ver·smooth·ness, nounpre·smooth, verb (used with object)re·smooth, verb (used with object)un·smooth, adjectiveun·smooth·ly, adverbun·smooth·ness, nounun·smoothed, adjective

Words nearby smooth

smollett, smolt, smooch, smoodge, smoosh, smooth, smooth as silk, smooth breathing, smooth collie, smooth diet, smooth dogfish

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for smooth over (1 of 2)

smooth over

verb

(tr) to ease or gloss overto smooth over a situation

British Dictionary definitions for smooth over (2 of 2)

smooth

/ (smuːð) /

adjective

resting in the same plane; without bends or irregularities

silky to the touchsmooth velvet

lacking roughness of surface; flat

tranquil or unruffledsmooth temper

lacking obstructions or difficulties

suave or persuasive, esp as suggestive of insincerity
(in combination)smooth-tongued

(of the skin) free from hair

of uniform consistencysmooth batter

not erratic; free from joltssmooth driving

not harsh or astringenta smooth wine

having all projections worn awaysmooth tyres

maths (of a curve) differentiable at every point

phonetics without preliminary or simultaneous aspiration

gentle to the ear; flowing

physics (of a plane, surface, etc) regarded as being frictionless

adverb

in a calm or even manner; smoothly

verb (mainly tr)

(also intr often foll by down) to make or become flattened or without roughness or obstructions

(often foll by out or away) to take or rub (away) in order to make smoothshe smoothed out the creases in her dress

to make calm; soothe

to make easiersmooth his path

electrical engineering to remove alternating current ripple from the output of a direct current power supply

obsolete to make more polished or refined

noun

the smooth part of something

the act of smoothing

tennis squash badminton the side of a racket on which the binding strings form a continuous lineCompare rough (def. 27)

Derived forms of smooth

smoothable, adjectivesmoother, nounsmoothly, adverbsmoothness, noun

Word Origin for smooth

Old English smōth; related to Old Saxon māthmundi gentle-minded, smōthi smooth

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

Idioms and Phrases with smooth over (1 of 2)

smooth over

Rid of obstructions or difficulties, as in We tried to smooth things over between the families before the wedding but did not succeed. [Late 1600s]

Idioms and Phrases with smooth over (2 of 2)

smooth

In addition to the idioms beginning with smooth

smooth as silk
smooth over
smooth sailing

also see:

take the rough with the smooth

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WORD OF THE DAY

smooth

adjective, smooth·er, smooth·est.

adverb

verb (used with object)

noun

Verb Phrases

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Origin of smooth

SYNONYMS FOR smooth

OTHER WORDS FROM smooth

Words nearby smooth

British Dictionary definitions for smooth over (1 of 2)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for smooth over (2 of 2)

adjective

adverb

verb (mainly tr)

noun

Derived forms of smooth

Word Origin for smooth

Idioms and Phrases with smooth over (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with smooth over (2 of 2)

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

smooth

adjective, smooth·er, smooth·est.

adverb

verb (used with object)

noun

Verb Phrases

QUIZZES

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Origin of smooth

SYNONYMS FOR smooth

OTHER WORDS FROM smooth

Words nearby smooth

Words related to smooth over

British Dictionary definitions for smooth over (1 of 2)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for smooth over (2 of 2)

adjective

adverb

verb (mainly tr)

noun

Derived forms of smooth

Word Origin for smooth

Idioms and Phrases with smooth over (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with smooth over (2 of 2)