smolder 
form mav have been influenced by Dan. KIIHI/- 
dre, crumble, molder, < sniul, dust.] I. ititriinx. 
1. To burn and smoke without flame; be 
smothery. 
In smolderande smoke. 
Alliterative Poems (eel. Morris), ii. 955. 
The smouldering weed-heap by the garden burned. 
WttKam Harris, Earthly Paradise, II. 24-2. 
Hence 2. To exist in a suppressed state; 
burn inwardly, without outward demonstration, 
as a thought, passion, and the like. 
A doubt that ever smoulder'd in the hearts 
Of those great Lords and Barons of his realm 
Flash'd forth and into war. 
Tennyson, Coming of Arthur. 
We frequently find in the writings of the inquisitors 
language which implies that a certain amount of scepti- 
cism was, even in their time, smouldering in some minds. 
Lecky, nationalism, I. 103. 
II. trans. If. To suffocate; smother. 
They preassed forward vnder their ensignes, bearing 
downe such as stood in their way, and with their owne 
fire smooldered and burnt them to ashes. 
HoKnshed, Hist. Eng., IT. 9. 
This wind and dust, see how it smolders me ; 
Some drink, good Glocester, or I die for drink. 
Peele, Edward I. 
2. To discolor by the action of fire. 
Aside the beacon, up whose smouldered stones 
The tender ivy-trails creep thinly. 
Coleridge, The Destiny of Nations. 
smolder, smoulder (smol'der), n. [< ME. 
smolder, a var. of smorther, a stifling smoke: 
see smother. Cf. smolder, v.~\ Slow or sup- 
pressed combustion; smoke; smother. 
Ac the smoke and the smolder [var. smorthre] that smyt 
in owre eyghen, 
That is coueityse and vnkyndenesse that quencheth goddes 
mercy. Piers Plowman (B), xvii. 341. 
The smmdder stops our nose with stench, the fume of- 
fends our eies. 
Gascoigne, Deuise of a Mask for Viscount Mountacute. 
smolderingness, smoulderingness (smol'der- 
ing-nes), n. Disposition to smolder. [Rare.] 
Whether any of our national peculiarities may be traced 
to our use of stoves, as a certain closeness of the lips in 
pronunciation, and a smothered smoulderingness of dis- 
position, seldom roused to open flame? 
Lowell, Biglow Papers, 1st ser., Int. 
smolderyt, smoulderyt, a. [Also smotildry; < 
smolder + -j 1 .] Smothery; suffocating. 
None can breath, nor see, nor heare at will, 
Through smouldry cloud of duskish stincking smoke. 
Spenser, F. Q., I. vii. 13. 
smolt ' (smolt), . [Prpb. a var. of smelt*. Cf. 
smolt 2 .'] A salmon in its second year, when it 
has lost its parr-marks and assumed its silvery 
scales; the stage of salmon-growth between 
the parr and the grilse. The smolt proceeds 
at once to the sea, and reappears in fresh water 
as the grilse. 
When they [salmon] remove to the sea, they assume a 
more brilliant dress, and there become the smolt, varying 
from four to six inches in length. Baird. 
smolt 2 (smolt), a. [< ME.si<>lt,smylt,AS.smeolt, 
smylt, clear, bright, serene.] Smooth and shin- 
ing. Hal/iwcll. [Obsolete or prov. Eng.] 
smooch, r. 't. Same as smutch. 
smooldert, v. An obsolete form of smolder. 
smoor (sraor), r. See smorel. 
smooth (smoTH), a. and . [< ME. smoothe, 
smothe, also smethe (> E. dial, smeeth), < AS. 
smothe, in earliest form smothi (only in neg. 
unsmdthe,iinsmdllii), usually with umlaut smethe, 
ONorth. smothe, usually with umlaut smoethe, 
smooth, = MLG. smode, LG. smode, smoede, also 
smoe, also MLG. smodich, LG. smodig, smooth, 
malleable, ductile; related to MD.smedigh,smi/- 
digh, D. smijdif/ = MLG. smiilich , LG. smidig, mal- 
leable, = MHG. gesmidic, G. gesckmeidig, malle- 
able, ductile, smooth, = Sw. Dan. umidio, plia- 
ble ; to OHG. gesmidi, gesmida, metal, MHG. <je- 
smlde, metal, metal weapons or ornaments, G. 
gcschmeide, ornaments ; and ult. to E. smith : see 
Smith. The related forms smooth and smith, and 
the other forms above cited, with Icel. smidh 
= Sw. smide, smiths' work, etc., point to an 
ong. strong verb, Goth, "smeithan (pret. "smaith 
pp. "smithans) = AS. "smithun (pret. 'smath 
pp. "smithen), forge (metals) ; cf. Sw. dial. smida 
(pret. smed, pp. smideri), smooth. Smooth would 
then mean orig. 'forged,' 'flattened with the 
hammer' (cf. Sw. smidesjcrn = Dan. smcdeii-ni 
wrought-iron'); ult. / mi, work in metals, 
forge: see smith.] I. a. 1. Having a surface 
so uniform that the eye and the touch do not 
readily detect any projections or irregularities 
in it; not rough; of water, not ruffled, or not 
undulating. 
5720 
The erthe sal be than even and hale. 
And smethe and clere als crystale. 
Hampole, Pricke of Conscience, 1. 6349. 
My smooth moist hand, were it with thy hand felt, 
Would in thy palm dissolve, or seem to melt. 
Shak., Venus and Adonis, 1. 143. 
While smooth Adonis from his native rock 
Ran purple to the sea. Milton, P. L., i. 450. 
Try the rough water as well as the smunili. 
0. W. Holmes, Emerson, ix. 
2. Free from hair : as, a smooth face. 
Behold Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a 
smooth man. Gen. xxvii. 11. 
3. Free from lumps: especially noting flour, 
starch, and the like. 
Put the flour and salt in a bowl, and add a little at a 
time of the water or milk, working it very smooth as you 
goon. 
M. Harland, Common Sense in the Household, p. 183. 
4. Not harsh ; not rugged ; even ; harmonious. 
Our speech is made melodious or harmonicall, not onely 
by strayned tunes, as those of Musick, but also by choise 
of smoothe words. Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 164. 
He writt not a smooth verse, but a great deal of sense. 
Aubrey, Lives (Lucius Carey). 
Siiumth verse, inspired by no unlettered Muse. 
Wordsworth, Excursion, vi. 
5. Using pleasing or euphonious language. 
The only smooth poet of those times. Milton. 
6. In fir. gram., free from aspiration ; not rough: 
as, a smooth mute ; the smooth breathing. 7. 
Bland ; mild ; soothing ; insinuating ; wheed- 
ling : noting persons or speech, etc. 
I have been politic with my friend, smooth with mine 
enemy. Shak., As you Like it, v. 4. 46. 
They know howe smooth soeuer his lookes were, there 
was a diuell in his bosome. 
Delcker, Seven Deadly Sins, p. 36. 
Smooth words he had to wheedle simple souls. 
Wordsworth, Excursion, ii. 
8. Free from anything disagreeable or unpleas- 
ant. 
Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth 
things, prophesy deceits. Isa. xxx. 10. 
From Rumour's tongues 
They bring smooth comforts false. 
Shak., 2 Hen. IV., Ind., 1. 40. 
9. Unruffled ; calm ; even ; complaisant : as, 
a smooth temper. 
His grace looks cheerfully and smooth to-day. 
Shak., Rich. III., iii. 4. 50. 
10. Without jolt, jar, or shock; even: as, 
smooth sailing; smooth driving. 11. Gentle; 
mild; placid. 
As where smooth Zephyrus plays on the fleet 
Face of the curled streams. 
Fletcher, Faithful Shepherdess, i. 1. 
12. Free from astringency, tartness, or any 
stinging or titillating character; soft to the 
nerves of taste: used especially of spirit. 
13. In zool., not rough, as an unsculptured sur- 
face, or one without visible elevations (as gran- 
ules, points, papillte, and nodes) or impres- 
sions (as strise, punctures, and fovese), though 
it may be thinly clothed with hairs or minute 
scales. 14. In bot., either opposed to scabrous 
(that is, not rough), or equivalent to glabrous 
(that is, not pubescent) : the former is the more 
correct sense. Gray.- Smooth alder. See alder, i. 
-Smooth Dlenny, the shanny. Smooth calf, fiber 
file. See the nouns. Smooth fulL Same as rap-full'. 
Smooth holly. See Hedycarya. Smooth hound a 
kind of shark. Mustclus hinnulus, with the skin less sh'a- 
greened than usual.- Smooth lungwort. See Ivniru-ort. 
Smooth muscle a non-striated muscle. Smooth 
painting, in stained -ylasx work, painting in which the 
color is brought to a uniform surface, as distinguished 
from stippling and smeared work. Smooth scales in 
herpet., specifically, Hat, keelless or ccarinate scales, as 
of a snake, whatever their other characters. It is char- 
acteristic of many genera of serpents to have keeled 
scales on most of the body, from which the smooth scales 
of other ophidians are distinguished. Smooth snake 
sole, sumac, tare, wiuterberry, etc. See the nouns.' 
[Smooth is often used in the formation of Kit-explaining 
compounds, as mootfi-hau-ed, <mioo<A-leafed, roiooU-gkin- 
ned, smooth- swarded. ] = Syn. 1. Plain, level, polished. 
5. \oluble, fluent 7. Oily. 
II. w. 1. The act of smoothing. [Colloq.] 
In that instant she put a rouge-pot, a brandy bottle, and 
a plate of broken meat into the bed, gave one smooth to 
her hair, and dually let in her visitor. 
Thackeray, Vanity Fair, Ixv. 
2. That which is smooth ; the smooth part of 
anything; a smooth place. [Chiefly colloq.] 
And she [Kebekah] put the skins of the kids of the 
goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck. 
Gen. xxvii. 16. 
A raft of this description will break the force of the sea 
and form a smooth for the boat. 
Qualtrough, Boat Sailer's Manual, p. 125. 
3. Specifically, a field or plat of grass. [U. S.] 
Get some plantain and dandelion on the smooth for 
greens ' S. Judd, Margaret, i. 2. 
smoother 
smooth (smoTH), '. [Also smoothe; < ME. 
xmoiltllfH, xlllllllll II. Xllllltliifll. XMflllieil, < AS. 
smfthUtn (= L<i. xmwden}, < smethe, smooth: 
see smooth, a.] I. trans. 1. To make smooth; 
make even on the surface by any means: as, 
to smooth a board with a plane ; to smooth cloth 
with an iron. 
Her eith'r ende ^smoothed is to have, 
And cubital let make her longitude. 
Palladius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 119. 
To smooth the ice, or add another hue 
Unto the rainbow. Shak., K. John, iv. 2. 13. 
They [nurses] smooth pillows, and make arrowroot ; they 
get up at nights ; they bear complaints and querulousness. 
Thackeray, Vanity Fair, xl. 
2. To free from obstruction; make easy; re- 
move, as an obstruction or difficulty. 
Hee counts it not profanenesse to bee polisht with hu- 
mane reading, or to smooth his way by Aristotle to Schoole- 
diuinitie. 
Bp. Earle, Micro-cosmographie, A Graue Diuine. 
Thou, Abelard ! the last sad office pay, 
And smooth my passage to the' realms of day. 
Pope, Eloisa to Abelard, 1. 322. 
3. To free from harshness; make flowing. 
In their motions harmony divine 
So smoothes her charming tones. 
Milton, P. L., v. 629. 
4. To palliate ; soften. 
To smooth his fault I should have been more mild. 
Shak., Rich. II., i. 3. 240. 
5. To calm; mollify; allay. 
Each perturbation smooth'd with outward calm. 
Milton, P. L., iv. 120. 
6. To make agreeable ; make flattering. 
I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that smooth 
their tongues. Jer. xxiii. 31 (margin). 
7t. To utter agreeably ; hence, to free from 
blame; exonerate. [Poetical.] 
What tongue shall smooth thy name? 
Shak., R. and J., iii. 2. 97. 
8. To modify (a given series of values) so as 
to remove irregularities. 
II. intrans. 1. To become smooth. 
The falls were smoothing: down. 
The Field, Dec. 6, 1884. (Encyc. Diet.) 
2t. To repeat flattering or wheedling words. 
Learn to flatter and smooth. 
Stubbes, Anatomle of Abuses, an. 158S. 
Because I cannot flatter and speak fair, 
Smile in men's faceg, smooth, deceive, and cog. 
Shak., Rich. III., i. 3. 48. 
smooth-bore (smoTH'bor), a. and . I. a. 
Smooth-bored; not rifled: as, a smooth-bore 
gun. Compare choke-bore. 
Fort Sumter, on its part, was a scarcely completed work, 
dating back to the period of smooth-bore guns of small 
caliber. The Century, XXXV. 711. 
II. n. A firearm with a smooth-bored bar- 
rel: in contradistinction to rifle, or rifled gun. 
smooth-bored (smpTH'bord), a. Having a 
smoothbore; not rifled: noting the barrel of a 
gun or the gun itself. 
smooth-browed (smoTH'broud), . Having a 
smooth or unwrinkled brow. 
smooth-chinned (smdTH'chind), . Having a 
smooth or shaven chin ; beardless. 
Look to your wives too ; 
The smooth-chinn'd courtiers are abroad. 
Massinger, Duke of Milan, ii. 1. 
smooth-dab (smoTH'dab), w. The smear-dab. 
[Prov. Eng.] 
smooth-dittied (smoTH'difid), a. Smoothly 
or sweetly sung or played; having a flowing 
melody. [Rare.] 
With his soft pipe, and smooth-dittied song, 
Well knows to still the wild winds when they roar. 
Milton, Comus, 1. 86. 
smoothe, r. See smooth. 
smoothen (smo'THn). v. t. [< smooth + -tnl.] 
To make smooth ; smooth. 
With edged grooving tools they cut down and smoothen 
the extuberances left. Momn, Mechanical Exercises. 
Language that goes as easy as a glove 
O'er good and evil smoothens both to one. 
Browning, Ring and Book, I. 43. 
smoother 1 (smo'THer), . [< smooth + -!.] 
1. One who or that which smooths. 
Scalds, a word which denotes "smoothers and polishers 
of language. " Bp. Percy, On Ancient Minstrels. 
2. A flatterer ; a wheedler. 
These are my flatterers, my soothers, my claw-backs, 
my smoothers, my parasites. 
Urquhart, tr. of Rabelais, iii. 3. (Davies.) 
3. In printing, a tape used in a cylinder-press 
to hold the sheets in position against the cyl- 
inder. 4. (a) A wheel used in glass-cutting 
to polish the faces of the grooves or cuts already 
made by another wheel : the smoother is usu- 
