smooth
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /smuːð/
rhymes: -uːð
Forms: form: smoother
form: smoothest
form: smeeth
form: smoothe
Etymology: From Middle English smothe, smethe, from Old English smēþe, smōþ, both from Proto-West Germanic *smanþī, of unknown origin. Cognate with Scots smuith (“smooth”), Saterland Frisian smoud (“smooth”), Low German smood and smödig (“smooth, malleable, ductile”), Dutch smeuïg (“smooth”) (from earlier smeudig).
Senses: examples: text: The outlines must be smooth, […]imperceptible to the touch, and even, without eminence or cavities.
ref: 1695, C[harles] A[lphonse] du Fresnoy, translated by John Dryden, De Arte Graphica. The Art of Painting, […], London: […] J[ohn] Heptinstall for W. Rogers, […], →OCLC:
text: “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; and she looked it, always trim and trig and smooth of surface like a converted yacht cleared for action. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable,[…].
ref: 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
text: Teaching that’s done by talking seems to have one rough path and another part which is smoother.
ref: 2005, Lesley Brown, Sophist, translation of original by Plato, page 229e:
glosses: Having a texture that lacks friction. Not rough.
examples: text: We hope for a smooth transition to the new system.
text: England's path to Poland and Ukraine next summer looked to be a smooth one as goals from Ashley Young and Darren Bent gave them a comfortable lead after 31 minutes.
ref: 2011, Phil McNulty, “Euro 2012: Montenegro 2-2 England”, in BBC:
text: The path to approval has been bumpiest in Washington, where Democrats in Congress have raised concerns over Mexico’s enforcement of labor rights and environmental law — and smoothest in Mexico, where the president has described the accord as a guarantee of stability for his country’s economy.
ref: 2019 June 19, Elisabeth Malkin and Ana Swanson, “Mexico Ratifies Trade Deal With the U.S. and Canada”, in The New York Times:
glosses: Without difficulty, problems, or unexpected consequences or incidents.
examples: text: This smooth discourse and mild behavior oft / Conceal a traitor.
ref: 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
text: This feeling, grounded on the experience of centuries of oppression, was not to be allayed by smooth explanations on the part of the advocates of the Constitution.
ref: 1912, Gustavus Myers, History of the Supreme Court of the United States, page 133:
glosses: Bland; glib.
examples: text: the only smooth poet of those times
ref: 1670, John Milton, The History of Britain:
text: VValler vvas ſmooth; but Dryden taught to join / The varying verſe, the full reſounding line, / The long majetſic march, and energy divine.
ref: 1737, [Alexander Pope], The First Epistle of the Second Book of Horace, Imitated, London: […] T. Cooper, […], →OCLC, page 16:
text: VVhen bright Minerva roſe, / From her ſvveet Lips ſmooth Elocution flovvs, […]
ref: 1713 (indicated as 1714), [John] Gay, “Book III”, in The Fan. A Poem. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 23:
glosses: Flowing or uttered without check, obstruction, or hesitation; not harsh; fluent.
examples: text: He was so smooth and handsome. He knew just what to say and when to say it.
ref: 2003, T. Lewis Humphrey, The Price of Love, →ISBN, page 279:
glosses: Suave; sophisticated.
examples: text: In order for a reading to be smooth and effortless, readers must be able to recognize and read words accurately, automatically, and quickly.
ref: 2006, Mary Kay Moskal, Camille Blachowicz, Reading for Fluency, →ISBN, page 3:
glosses: Natural; unconstrained.
raw_tags: of an action
examples: text: Demonstrate first by the numbers and then as one smooth movement.
ref: 1927, United States National Guard Bureau, Manual of Basic Training and Standards of Proficiency for the National Guard, page 181:
glosses: Unbroken.
raw_tags: of a motion
examples: text: As we worked to the southward, we picked up fair weather, and enjoyed smooth seas and pleasant skies.
ref: 1898, John Donaldson Ford, An American Cruiser in the East, page 47:
glosses: Placid, calm.
raw_tags: of water
examples: text: A leaf having a smooth margin, without teeth or indentations of any kind, is called entire.
ref: 1994, Robert E. Swanson, A Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of the Southern Appalachians, →ISBN, page 8:
text: Out of the handles flipped the smooth blade and the serrated blade, which was dangerously sharp, the flathead screwdrivers, the Phillips screwdriver, the can opener, the awl.
ref: 1997, Christopher Dickey, Innocent Blood: A Novel, →ISBN, page 91:
glosses: Lacking projections or indentations; not serrated.
raw_tags: of an edge
examples: text: A compact and stylish design, it produces 1 generous quart of excellent, smooth ice cream in 20 to 25 minutes.
ref: 1997, Lou Seibert Pappas, Sorbets and Ice Creams, →ISBN, page 19:
glosses: Not grainy; having an even texture.
raw_tags: of food or drink
examples: text: The coffee was smooth, so smooth she took another sip.
ref: 2002, Candace Irvin, For His Eyes Only, →ISBN, page 9:
glosses: Having a pleasantly rounded flavor; neither rough nor astringent.
raw_tags: of a beverage
examples: text: Any ANALYTIC FUNCTION is smooth. But a smooth function is not necessarily analytic.
ref: 2003, Eric W. Weisstein, CRC Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics, →ISBN, page 419:
topics: mathematics
sciences
glosses: Having derivatives of all finite orders at all points within the function’s domain.
raw_tags: of a function
topics: mathematics
sciences
glosses: That factors completely into small prime numbers.
raw_tags: of a number
examples: text: Οὐ becomes οὐκ before a smooth vowel, and οὐχ before an aspirate.
ref: 1830, Benjamin Franklin Fisk, A Grammar of the Greek Language, page 5:
topics: classical-studies
history
human-sciences
linguistics
sciences
glosses: Lacking marked aspiration.
raw_tags: of a vowel
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: Involuntary and non-striated.
raw_tags: of muscles
Synonyms: sense: having a texture lacking friction
word: even
sense: without difficulty or problems
word: fluid
sense: without difficulty or problems
word: slick
word: downy
word: flat
word: frictionless
word: lanate
word: level
word: silken
word: silklike
word: silky
word: sleek
word: slight
word: smooth
word: velutinous
word: velvety
Hyponyms: word: glossy
Derived terms: word: a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor
word: besmooth
word: buttery smooth
word: nonsmoothness
word: piecewise smooth
word: silky smooth
taxonomic: Alnus serrulata
word: smooth alder
word: smooth as a baby's bottom
word: smooth as a baby's bum
word: smooth as butter
word: smooth as eggs
word: smooth as oil
word: smooth as silk
taxonomic: Rhododendron arborescens
word: smooth azalea
word: smooth brain
word: smooth-brained
word: smooth breathing
taxonomic: Bromus inermis
word: smooth brome
word: smooth call
taxonomic: Callista chione
word: smooth clam
word: smooth collie
alt: Spartina alterniflora
word: smooth cordgrass
word: smoothen
word: smooth-faced
word: smooth fox terrier
word: smooth function
taxonomic: Opheodrys vernalis
word: smooth green snake
word: smooth-haired
alt: †Sympterichthys unipennis
word: smooth handfish
taxonomic: Mustelus spp.
word: smooth hound
taxonomic: Hydrangea arborescens
word: smooth hydrangea
word: smoothie
word: smooth jazz
taxonomic: Meuschenia scaber
word: smooth leatherjacket
taxonomic: Luffa aegyptiaca
word: smooth loofah
word: smoothly
word: smooth manifold
taxonomic: Leptoxis virgata
word: smooth mudalia
word: smooth muscle
word: smoothness
taxonomic: Lissotriton vulgaris
word: smooth newt
word: smooth number
word: smooth operator
taxonomic: Leptoxis virgata
word: smooth rocksnail
word: smooth-running
word: smooth sailing
taxonomic: Coronella austriaca
word: smooth snake
taxonomic: Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis
word: smooth sole
word: smooth-spoken
word: smooth talk
word: smooth talker
word: smooth talking
word: smooth-tongued
word: take the rough with the smooth
word: the course of true love never did run smooth
Related terms: word: smooth as a baby's bottom
word: smooth as glass
word: smooth as silk