smile
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to assume a facial expression indicating pleasure, favor, or amusement, but sometimes derision or scorn, characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth.
- Antonyms:
- frown
-
to regard with favor.
Luck smiled on us that night.
-
to have a pleasant or agreeable appearance or aspect, as natural scenes, objects, etc..
The landscape smiled in the sunlight.
verb (used with object)
-
to assume or give (a smile, especially of a given kind).
She smiled a warm and friendly smile.
-
to express by a smile.
to smile approval.
-
to bring, put, drive, etc., by or as by smiling.
to smile one's tears away.
noun
-
the act or an instance of smiling; a smiling expression of the face.
- Antonyms:
- frown
-
favor or kindly regard.
fortune's smile.
-
a pleasant or agreeable appearance, look, or aspect.
verb phrase
noun
-
a facial expression characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth, usually showing amusement, friendliness, etc, but sometimes scorn, etc
-
favour or blessing
the smile of fortune
-
an agreeable appearance
verb
-
(intr) to wear or assume a smile
-
-
to look (at) with a kindly or amused expression
-
to look derisively (at) instead of being annoyed
-
to bear (troubles, etc) patiently
-
-
(intr; foll by on or upon) to show approval; bestow a blessing
-
(tr) to express by means of a smile
she smiled a welcome
-
to drive away or change by smiling
smile away one's tears
-
to recover cheerfully from misfortune
Related Words
See laugh.
Other Word Forms
- half-smiling adjective
- half-smilingly adverb
- outsmile verb (used with object)
- smileless adjective
- smilelessly adverb
- smilelessness noun
- smiler noun
- smiling adjective
- smilingly adverb
- smilingness noun
- subsmile noun
- unsmiling adjective
- unsmilingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of smile
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English smyllen (verb); cognate with Old High German smīlan, Danish smile
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Whoever's booing them now must be the type of character that smiles at themself in the mirror in the morning, just to get it over with.
From BBC
It’s a lively university town with breweries everywhere, bikes zipping past on nearly every street, and the kind of easy smiles and hellos that make Midwest nice feel real.
From Salon
Traditionally, global companies chased the “smile curve,” where profits concentrate in R&D and design at the start and branding and distribution at the end.
Bernadette smiles, then pulls the door open and pushes her into the dark stall.
From Literature
He gives me a sly smile and what I think is a slight nod at the same time that Zara’s elbow crushes into my ribs.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
