smack

1
[ smak ]
See synonyms for: smacksmackedsmacking on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a taste or flavor, especially a slight flavor distinctive or suggestive of something: The chicken had just a smack of garlic.

  2. a trace, touch, or suggestion of something.

  1. a taste, mouthful, or small quantity.

verb (used without object)
  1. to have a taste, flavor, trace, or suggestion: Your politeness smacks of condescension.

Origin of smack

1
First recorded before 1000; (noun) Middle English smacke, Old English smæc; cognate with Middle Low German smak, German Geschmack “taste”; (verb) Middle English smacken “to perceive by taste, have a (specified) taste,” derivative of the noun; compare German schmacken

Other words for smack

Words Nearby smack

Other definitions for smack (2 of 4)

smack2
[ smak ]

verb (used with object)
  1. to strike sharply, especially with the open hand or a flat object.

  2. to drive or send with a sharp, resounding blow or stroke: to smack a ball over a fence.

  1. to close and open (the lips) smartly so as to produce a sharp sound, often as a sign of relish, as in eating.

  2. to kiss with or as with a loud sound.

verb (used without object)
  1. to smack the lips.

  2. to collide, come together, or strike something forcibly.

  1. to make a sharp sound as of striking against something.

noun
  1. a sharp, resounding blow, especially with something flat.

  2. a smacking of the lips, as in relish or anticipation.

  1. a resounding or loud kiss.

adverbInformal.
  1. suddenly and violently: He rode smack up against the side of the house.

  2. directly; straight: The street runs smack into the center of town.

Verb Phrases
  1. smack down, Slang. to humble (an arrogant person); rebuke or criticize severely.

Origin of smack

2
First recorded in 1550–60; imitative; compare Dutch, Low German smakken, German (dialectal) schmacken

Other definitions for smack (3 of 4)

smack3
[ smak ]

noun
  1. Eastern U.S. a fishing vessel, especially one having a well for keeping the catch alive.

  2. British. any of various small, fully decked, fore-and-aft-rigged vessels used for trawling or coastal trading.

Origin of smack

3
First recorded in 1605–15, smack is from the Dutch word smak

Other definitions for smack (4 of 4)

smack4
[ smak ]

nounSlang.

Origin of smack

4
First recorded in 1960–65; probably special use of smack1; compare earlier slang schmeck with same sense (from Yiddish shmek “sniff, whiff”; compare Middle High German smecken (German schmecken ) “to taste”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use smack in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for smack (1 of 4)

smack1

/ (smæk) /


noun
  1. a smell or flavour that is distinctive though faint

  2. a distinctive trace or touch: the smack of corruption

  1. a small quantity, esp a mouthful or taste

verb(intr foll by of)
  1. to have the characteristic smell or flavour (of something): to smack of the sea

  2. to have an element suggestive (of something): his speeches smacked of bigotry

Origin of smack

1
Old English smæc; related to Old High German smoc, Icelandic smekkr a taste, Dutch smaak

British Dictionary definitions for smack (2 of 4)

smack2

/ (smæk) /


verb
  1. (tr) to strike or slap smartly, with or as if with the open hand

  2. to strike or send forcibly or loudly or to be struck or sent forcibly or loudly

  1. to open and close (the lips) loudly, esp to show pleasure

  2. (tr) to kiss noisily

noun
  1. a sharp resounding slap or blow with something flat, or the sound of such a blow

  2. a loud kiss

  1. a sharp sound made by the lips, as in enjoyment

  2. have a smack at informal, mainly British to attempt

  3. smack in the eye informal, mainly British a snub or setback

adverbinformal
  1. directly; squarely

  2. with a smack; sharply and unexpectedly

Origin of smack

2
C16: from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch smacken, probably of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for smack (3 of 4)

smack3

/ (smæk) /


noun
  1. a slang word for heroin

Origin of smack

3
C20: perhaps from Yiddish schmeck

British Dictionary definitions for smack (4 of 4)

smack4

/ (smæk) /


noun
  1. a sailing vessel, usually sloop-rigged, used in coasting and fishing along the British coast

  2. a fishing vessel equipped with a well for keeping the catch alive

Origin of smack

4
C17: from Low German smack or Dutch smak, of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012