smear

smear
[[t]smɪ͟ə(r)[/t]]
smears, smearing, smeared
1) VERB If you smear a surface with an oily or sticky substance or smear the substance onto the surface, you spread a layer of the substance over the surface.

[V n with n] My sister smeared herself with suntan oil and slept by the swimming pool...

[V n prep] Smear a little olive oil over the inside of the salad bowl.

2) N-COUNT: oft N of n A smear is a dirty or oily mark.

There was a smear of gravy on his chin.

3) VERB To smear someone means to spread unpleasant and untrue rumours or accusations about them in order to damage their reputation. [JOURNALISM]

[V n] The BBC last night launched an inquiry into an apparently crude attempt to smear its director-general.

Syn:
4) N-COUNT: oft N n A smear is an unpleasant and untrue rumour or accusation that is intended to damage someone's reputation. [JOURNALISM]

He puts all the accusations down to a smear campaign by his political opponents.

Syn:
5) N-COUNT A smear or a smear test is a medical test in which a few cells are taken from a woman's cervix and examined to see if any cancer cells are present. [BRIT]
(in AM, use , pap test)

English dictionary. 2008.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Smear — (senkrechter, weißer Strich unter der Lichtquelle) Als Smear oder auch Smear Effekt bezeichnet man bei digitalen Kameras weiße Streifen im Bild, die bei besonders hellen Lichtquellen im Bildbereich auftreten. Wenn die Lichtquelle eine… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • smear — [smɪə ǁ smɪr] noun [countable] an attempt to harm someone by spreading untrue stories about them: • Was this just another political smear? • The media had launched a smear campaign against him. smear verb [transitive] : • Republicans were trying… …   Financial and business terms

  • smear´er — smear «smihr», verb, noun, adjective. –v.t. 1. to cover or stain with anything sticky, grease or dirty: »She smeared her fingers with jam. 2. to rub or spread (oil, grease, or paint): »to smear paint on one s hands. 3. to rub or wipe (a brush,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • smear|y — «SMIHR ee», adjective, smear|i|er, smear|i|est. 1. marked by a smear or smears; smeared. 2. tending to smear. –smear´i|ness …   Useful english dictionary

  • Smear — (sm[=e]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Smeared} (sm[=e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Smearing}.] [OE. smeren, smerien, AS. smierwan, smyrwan, fr. smeoru fat, grease; akin to D. smeren, OHG. smirwen, G. schmieren, Icel. smyrja to anoint. See {Smear}, n.] 1. To… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • smear — [smir] vt. [ME smerien < OE smerian, to anoint, akin to Ger schmieren < IE base * smeru , grease > OIr smir, marrow & (prob.) L medulla, marrow] 1. to cover, daub, or soil with something greasy, sticky, or dirty 2. to apply or daub… …   English World dictionary

  • Smear — Smear, n. [OE. smere,. smeoru fat, grease; akin to D. smeer, G. schmeer, OHG. smero, Icel. smj[ o]r, Sw. & Dan. sm[ o]r butter, Goth. sma[ i]r[thorn]r fatness, smarna dung; cf. Lith. smarsas fat. Cf. {Smirch}.] 1. A fat, oily substance; oinment.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • smear — sb., en, smear, ene (undersøgelse af celler fra fx livmoderhalsen), i sms. smear , fx smearprøve …   Dansk ordbog

  • smear — (v.) O.E. smerian to anoint or rub with grease, oil, etc., from P.Gmc. *smerthan (Cf. O.N. smyrva, Dan. smère, Swed. smörja, Du. smeren, O.H.G. smirwen, Ger. schmieren to smear ), from PIE *smeru grease (Cf. Gk. myron …   Etymology dictionary

  • smear — [v1] rub on, spread over apply, bedaub, besmirch, blur, coat, cover, dab, daub, defile, dirty, discolor, overlay, overspread, patch, plaster, slop, smudge, soil, spatter, spray, sprinkle, stain, sully, taint, tar, tarnish; concepts 172,202,215… …   New thesaurus

  • smear — smear. См. мазок. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”