smear

smear¹ [smıə US smır] n

[: Old English; Origin: smeoru 'fatty material']

1.) a dirty mark made by a small amount of something spread across a surface

smear of

▪ a smear of paint

▪ It left a black smear on his arm.

2.) BrE a ↑smear test

3.) an untrue story about a politician or other important person that is told in order to make people lose respect for them - used especially in newspapers

>smeary adj

▪ a smeary glass

smear ²

smear² v

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

1¦(spread)¦

2¦(tell lies)¦

3¦(dirty)¦

4¦(ink/paint)¦

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

1.) ¦(SPREAD)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]

to spread a liquid or soft substance over a surface, especially in a careless or untidy way

smear sth with sth

▪ His face was smeared with mud.

smear sth on/over etc sth

▪ Elaine smeared sun tan lotion on her shoulders.

2.) ¦(TELL LIES)¦ [T]

to tell an untrue story about someone important in order to make people lose respect for them - used especially in newspapers

▪ an attempt to smear the party leadership

3.) ¦(DIRTY)¦ [T]

to put dirty or oily marks on something

▪ smeared windows

4.) ¦(INK/PAINT)¦ [I and T]

if writing, a picture, or paint smears or is smeared, the ink or paint is accidentally touched and spread across the surface

= ↑smudge

▪ Several words were smeared.