smudge

[ smuhj ]
See synonyms for: smudgesmudged on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a dirty mark or smear.

  2. a smeary state.

  1. a stifling smoke.

  2. a smoky fire, especially one made for driving away mosquitoes or safeguarding fruit trees from frost.

verb (used with object),smudged, smudg·ing.
  1. to mark with dirty streaks or smears.

  2. to fill with smudge, as to drive away insects or protect fruit trees from frost.

verb (used without object),smudged, smudg·ing.
  1. to form a smudge on something.

  2. to become smudged: White shoes smudge easily.

  1. to smolder or smoke; emit smoke, as a smudge pot.

Origin of smudge

1
1400–50; late Middle English smogen (v.) < ?

Other words from smudge

  • smudg·ed·ly, adverb
  • smudgeless, adjective
  • un·smudged, adjective

Words Nearby smudge

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How to use smudge in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for smudge

smudge

/ (smʌdʒ) /


verb
  1. to smear, blur, or soil or cause to do so

  2. (tr) mainly US and Canadian to fill (an area) with smoke in order to drive insects away or guard against frost

noun
  1. a smear or dirty mark

  2. a blurred form or area: that smudge in the distance is a quarry

  1. mainly US and Canadian a smoky fire for driving insects away or protecting fruit trees or plants from frost

Origin of smudge

1
C15: of uncertain origin

Derived forms of smudge

  • smudgeless, adjective
  • smudgily or smudgedly, adverb

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