Smothered mate Smoth"ered mate (Chess) Checkmate given when movement of the king is completely obstructed by his own men.
Smotheriness Smoth"er·i·ness noun The quality or state of being smothery.
Smotheringly Smoth"er·ing·ly adverb In a smothering manner.
Smothery Smoth"er·y adjective Tending to smother; stifling.
Smouch Smouch transitive verb [ Akin to
smack .]
To kiss closely. [ Obsolete]
P. Stubbes.
Smouch Smouch transitive verb [ See
Smutch .]
To smutch; to soil; as, to smouch the face.
Smouch Smouch noun A dark soil or stain; a smutch.
Smoulder Smoul"der intransitive verb See Smolder .
Smouldry Smoul"dry adjective See Smoldry .
Smudge Smudge noun [ Confer Danish
smuds smut, English
smutch , or
smoke .]
1. A suffocating smoke. Grose. 2. A heap of damp combustibles partially ignited and burning slowly, placed on the windward side of a house, tent, or the like, in order, by the thick smoke, to keep off mosquitoes or other insects. [ U. S.]
Bartlett. 3. That which is smeared upon anything; a stain; a blot; a smutch; a smear.
Smudge Smudge transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Smudged ;
present participle & verbal noun Smudging .]
1. To stifle or smother with smoke; to smoke by means of a smudge. 2. To smear; to smutch; to soil; to blacken with smoke.
Smudginess Smudg"i·ness noun The quality or state of being smudged, soiled, or blurred. C. A. Young.
Smug Smug adjective [ Of. Scand. or Low German origin; confer LG.
smuck , German
schmuck , Danish
smuk , OSw.
smuck ,
smöck , and English
smock ,
smuggle ; confer German
schmuck ornament. See
Smock .]
Studiously neat or nice, especially in dress; spruce; affectedly precise; smooth and prim. They be so smug and smooth.
Robynson (More's Utopia). The smug and scanty draperies of his style.
De Quincey. A young, smug , handsome holiness has no fellow.
Beau. & Fl.
Smug Smug transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Smugged ;
present participle & verbal noun Smugging .]
To make smug, or spruce. [ Obsolete]
Thus said, he smugged his beard, and stroked up fair.
Dryton.
Smuggle Smug"gle transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Smuggled ;
present participle & verbal noun Smuggling .] [ Of Low German or Scand. origin; confer LG.
smuggeln , Dutch
smokkelen , German
schmuggeln , Danish
smugle , Swedish
smyga to introduce or convey secretly, Danish
i smug secretly, Dutch
smuigen to eat in secret, Anglo-Saxon
sm...gan to creep. See
Smock .]
1. To import or export secretly, contrary to the law; to import or export without paying the duties imposed by law; as, to smuggle lace. 2. Fig.: To convey or introduce clandestinely.
Smuggle Smug"gle intransitive verb To import or export in violation of the customs laws.
Smuggler Smug"gler noun 1. One who smuggles. 2. A vessel employed in smuggling.
Smugly Smug"ly adverb In a smug manner. [ R.]
Gay.
Smugness Smug"ness noun The quality or state of being smug.
Smut Smut noun [ Akin to Swedish
smuts , Danish
smuds , Middle High German
smuz , German
schmutz , Dutch
smet a spot or stain,
smoddig ,
smodsig ,
smodderig , dirty,
smodderen to smut; and probably to English
smite . See
Smite ,
transitive verb , and confer
Smitt ,
Smutch .]
1. Foul matter, like soot or coal dust; also, a spot or soil made by such matter. 2. (Mining) Bad, soft coal, containing much earthy matter, found in the immediate locality of faults. 3. (Botany) An affection of cereal grains producing a swelling which is at length resolved into a powdery sooty mass. It is caused by parasitic fungi of the genus Ustilago . Ustilago segetum , or U. Carbo , is the commonest kind; that of Indian corn is Ustilago maydis . 4. Obscene language; ribaldry; obscenity. He does not stand upon decency . . . but will talk smut , though a priest and his mother be in the room .
Addison. Smut mill ,
a machine for cleansing grain from smut.
Smut Smut transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Smutted ;
present participle & verbal noun Smutting .]
1. To stain or mark with smut; to blacken with coal, soot, or other dirty substance. 2. To taint with mildew, as grain. Bacon. 3. To blacken; to sully or taint; to tarnish. 4. To clear of smut; as, to smut grain for the mill.
Smut Smut intransitive verb 1. To gather smut; to be converted into smut; to become smutted. Mortimer. 2. To give off smut; to crock.
Smutch Smutch noun [ Prob. for
smuts . See
Smut ,
noun ]
A stain; a dirty spot. B. Jonson.
Smutch Smutch transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Smutched ;
present participle & verbal noun Smutching .]
To blacken with smoke, soot, or coal. [ Written also
smooch .]
B. Jonson.
Smutchin Smutch"in noun Snuff. [ Obsolete]
Howell.
Smutty Smut"ty adjective [
Compar. Smuttier ;
superl. Smuttiest .]
1. Soiled with smut; smutted. 2. Tainted with mildew; as, smutty corn. 3. Obscene; not modest or pure; as, a smutty saying. The smutty joke, ridiculously lewd.
Smollett. --
Smut"ti*ly adverb --
Smut"ti*ness ,
noun
Smyrniot Smyr"ni·ot adjective Of or pertaining to Smyrna. --
noun A native or inhabitant of Smyrna.
Snack Snack noun [ See
Snatch ,
transitive verb ]
1. A share; a part or portion; -- obsolete, except in the colloquial phrase, to go snacks , i. e., to share. At last he whispers, "Do, and we go snacks ."
Pope. 2. A slight, hasty repast. [ Colloq.]
Snacket Snack"et noun See Snecket . [ Prov. Eng.]
Snacot Snac"ot noun [ Said to be corrupted from New Latin
syngnathus , from Greek
sy`n together +
gna`qos jaw, because the jaws can be only slightly separated.]
(Zoology) A pipefish of the genus Syngnathus . See Pipefish .
Snaffle Snaf"fle noun [ Dutch
snavel a beak, bill, snout; akin to German
schnabel , Old High German
snabul ,.
sneb ,
snebbe , OFries.
snavel mouth, Dan. & Swedish
snabel beak, bill, Lithuanian
snapas , and to English
snap , v. See
Snap , and confer
Neb .]
A kind of bridle bit, having a joint in the part to be placed in the mouth, and rings and cheek pieces at the ends, but having no curb; -- called also snaffle bit .
Snaffle Snaf"fle transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Snaffled ;
present participle & verbal noun Snaffling .]
To put a snaffle in the mouth of; to subject to the snaffle; to bridle.
Snag Snag noun [ Prov. E., noun , a lump on a tree where a branch has been cut off; v., to cut off the twigs and small branches from a tree, of Celtic origin; confer Gael.
snaigh ,
snaidh , to cut down, to prune, to sharpen, past participle
snaighte ,
snaidhte , cut off, lopped, Ir.
snaigh a hewing, cutting.]
1. A stump or base of a branch that has been lopped off; a short branch, or a sharp or rough branch; a knot; a protuberance. The coat of arms
Now on a naked snag in triumph borne.
Dryden. 2. A tooth projecting beyond the rest; contemptuously, a broken or decayed tooth. Prior. 3. A tree, or a branch of a tree, fixed in the bottom of a river or other navigable water, and rising nearly or quite to the surface, by which boats are sometimes pierced and sunk. 4. (Zoology) One of the secondary branches of an antler. Snag boat ,
a steamboat fitted with apparatus for removing snags and other obstructions in navigable streams. [ U.S.] --
Snag tooth .
Same as Snag , 2. How thy snag teeth stand orderly,
Like stakes which strut by the water side.
J. Cotgrave.
Snag Snag transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Snagged ;
present participle & verbal noun Snagging .]
1. To cut the snags or branches from, as the stem of a tree; to hew roughly. [ Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell. 2. To injure or destroy, as a steamboat or other vessel, by a snag, or projecting part of a sunken tree. [ U. S.]
Snagged Snag"ged adjective Full of snags; snaggy.
Snaggy Snag"gy adjective 1. Full of snags; full of short, rough branches or sharp points; abounding with knots. "Upon a
snaggy oak."
Spenser. 2. Snappish; cross; ill-tempered. [ Prov. Eng.]
Snail Snail (snāl)
noun [ Middle English
snaile , Anglo-Saxon
snægel ,
snegel ,
snægl ; akin to German
schnecke , Old High German
snecko , Danish
snegl , Icelandic
snigill .]
1. (Zoology) (a) Any one of numerous species of terrestrial air-breathing gastropods belonging to the genus Helix and many allied genera of the family Helicidæ . They are abundant in nearly all parts of the world except the arctic regions, and feed almost entirely on vegetation; a land snail. (b) Any gastropod having a general resemblance to the true snails, including fresh-water and marine species. See Pond snail , under Pond , and Sea snail . 2. Hence, a drone; a slow-moving person or thing. 3. (Mech.) A spiral cam, or a flat piece of metal of spirally curved outline, used for giving motion to, or changing the position of, another part, as the hammer tail of a striking clock. 4. A tortoise; in ancient warfare, a movable roof or shed to protect besiegers; a testudo. [ Obsolete]
They had also all manner of gynes [ engines] . . . that needful is [ in] taking or sieging of castle or of city, as snails , that was naught else but hollow pavises and targets, under the which men, when they fought, were heled [ protected], . . . as the snail is in his house; therefore they cleped them snails .
Vegetius (Trans.). 5. (Botany) The pod of the sanil clover. Ear snail ,
Edible snail ,
Pond snail ,
etc. See under Ear , Edible , etc. --
Snail borer (Zoology) ,
a boring univalve mollusk; a drill. --
Snail clover (Botany) ,
a cloverlike plant ( Medicago scuttellata , also, M. Helix ); -- so named from its pods, which resemble the shells of snails; -- called also snail trefoil , snail medic , and beehive . --
Snail flower (Botany) ,
a leguminous plant ( Phaseolus Caracalla ) having the keel of the carolla spirally coiled like a snail shell. --
Snail shell (Zoology) ,
the shell of snail. --
Snail trefoil .
(Botany) See Snail clover , above.
Snail-like Snail"-like` adjective Like or suiting a snail; as, snail-like progress.
Snail-like Snail"-like` adverb In the manner of a snail; slowly.
Snail-paced Snail"-paced` adjective Slow-moving, like a snail. Bid the snail-paced Ajax arm for shame.
Shak.
Snailfish Snail"fish` noun (Zoology) See Sea snail (a) .
Snails Snails interj. God's nails, or His nails, that is, the nails with which the Savior was fastened to the cross; -- an ancient form of oath, corresponding to ' Od's bodikins (dim. of body , i.e., God's dear body). Beau. & Fl.
Snake Snake noun [ Anglo-Saxon
snaca ; akin to LG.
snake ,
schnake , Icelandic
snākr ,
sn...kr , Danish
snog , Swedish
snok ; of uncertain origin.]
(Zoology) Any species of the order Ophidia; an ophidian; a serpent, whether harmless or venomous. See Ophidia , and Serpent . » Snakes are abundant in all warm countries, and much the larger number are harmless to man.
Blind snake ,
Garter snake ,
Green snake ,
King snake ,
Milk snake ,
Rock snake ,
Water snake ,
etc. See under Blind , Garter , etc. --
Fetich snake (Zoology) ,
a large African snake ( Python Sebæ ) used by the natives as a fetich. --
Ringed snake (Zoology) ,
a common European columbrine snake ( Tropidonotus natrix ). --
Snake eater .
(Zoology) (a) The markhoor .
(b) The secretary bird. --
Snake fence ,
a worm fence (which see). [ U.S.] --
Snake fly (Zoology) ,
any one of several species of neuropterous insects of the genus Rhaphidia ; -- so called because of their large head and elongated neck and prothorax. --
Snake gourd (Botany) ,
a cucurbitaceous plant ( Trichosanthes anguina ) having the fruit shorter and less snakelike than that of the serpent cucumber. --
Snake killer .
(Zoology) (a) The secretary bird .
(b) The chaparral cock. --
Snake moss (Botany) ,
the common club moss ( Lycopodium clavatum ). See Lycopodium . --
Snake nut (Botany) ,
the fruit of a sapindaceous tree ( Ophiocaryon paradoxum ) of Guiana, the embryo of which resembles a snake coiled up. --
Tree snake (Zoology) ,
any one of numerous species of colubrine snakes which habitually live in trees, especially those of the genus Dendrophis and allied genera.
Snake Snake transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Snaked ;
present participle & verbal noun Snaking .]
1. To drag or draw, as a snake from a hole; -- often with out . [ Colloq. U.S.]
Bartlett. 2. (Nautical) To wind round spirally, as a large rope with a smaller, or with cord, the small rope lying in the spaces between the strands of the large one; to worm.
Snake Snake intransitive verb To crawl like a snake.
Snake's-head Snake's"-head` noun (Botany) The Guinea-hen flower; -- so called in England because its spotted petals resemble the scales of a snake's head. Dr. Prior. Snake's-head iris (Botany) ,
an iridaceous plant ( Hermodactylus tuberosus ) of the Mediterranean region. The flowers slightly resemble a serpent's open mouth.
Snake's-tongue Snake's-tongue` noun (Botany) Same as Adder's-tongue .
Snakebird Snake"bird` noun [ So named from its snakelike neck.]
(Zoology) 1. Any one of four species of aquatic birds of the genus Anhinga or Plotus . They are allied to the gannets and cormorants, but have very long, slender, flexible necks, and sharp bills. » The American species (
Anhinga, or Plotus, anhinga ) inhabits the Southern United States and tropical America; -- called also
darter , and
water turkey . The Asiatic species (
A. melanogaster ) is native of Southern Asia and the East Indies. Two other species inhabit Africa and Australia respectively.
2. (Zoology) The wryneck.
Snakefish Snake"fish` noun (Zoology) (a) The band fish. (b) The lizard fish.
Snakehead Snake"head` noun 1. A loose, bent-up end of one of the strap rails, or flat rails, formerly used on American railroads. It was sometimes so bent by the passage of a train as to slip over a wheel and pierce the bottom of a car. 2. (Botany) (a) The turtlehead. (b) The Guinea-hen flower. See Snake's-head , and under Guinea .