smerian

to anoint, rub with ointment

1 / 1

A young man drags his paint-covered palm across a clean white board, spreading a blob of red paint into a broad, uneven streak with visible finger trails and messy edges.

noun / verb

smear

SMEER/smɪr/

A messy coating spread across a surface.

Etymology

smearOld Englishto anoint, rub with ointment

Smerian described rubbing on oil or ointment, but also coating something too thickly with a sticky substance. That second use already contains the messy spreading expressed by smear today.

Full entry

Related word entries

smear