Smack Definition
- to humble or reprimand (someone who is overstepping bounds)
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Smack
Origin of Smack
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From Middle English smac, smak, smacke, from Old English smæċ (“taste, smatch"), from Proto-Germanic *smakkuz (“a taste"), from Proto-Indo-European *smegÊ°-, *smeg- (“to taste"). Cognate with English dialectal smatch, Scots smak (“scent, smell, taste, flavour"), Saterland Frisian Smoak (“taste"), West Frisian smaak (“taste"), Dutch smaak (“taste"), German Schmack, Geschmack (“taste"), Swedish smak (“taste"). Akin to Old English smæccan (“to taste, smack"). More at smake, smatch.
From Wiktionary
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From or akin to Dutch smakken (“to fling down"), Plautdietsch schmaksen (“to smack the lips"), regional German schmacken (compare Swedish smak (“slap"), Middle Low German smacken, the first part of Saterland Frisian smakmuulje (“smack")).
From Wiktionary
Probably variant of smeck from Yiddish shmek a sniff, swell from shmekn to sniff, smell from Middle High German smecken, smacken to smell, taste from Old High German smac smell, taste
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Middle Low German smack (Low German Schmacke, Schmaake (“small ship")) or Dutch smak.
From Wiktionary
Dutch or Low German smak from smakken to fling, dash
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Perhaps of Middle Flemish origin or perhaps of imitative origin
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Middle English from Old English smæc
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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