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RELATED WORDS

resolve, negotiate, arbitrate, settle, unravel, harmonize, expedite, eradicate, mitigate, placate, assuage, repress, soothe, quell, ameliorate, mollify, allay, tame, soft-pedal, square

Nearby words

  1. smolt,
  2. smooch,
  3. smoochy,
  4. smoodge,
  5. smoosh,
  6. smooth as silk,
  7. smooth breathing,
  8. smooth collie,
  9. smooth diet,
  10. smooth dogfish

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
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

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)

See also smooth over
Derived Formssmoothable, 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
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.