smear
smear
Definition
smear (smir)
transitive verb
- to cover, daub, or soil with something greasy, sticky, or dirty
- to apply or daub (something greasy, sticky, or dirty) so as to leave a coating, mark, etc.
- to make an unwanted mark or streak on, or to obscure, by rubbing to smear a wet signature
- to make a smear with to smear one's hand across a surface
- to harm the reputation of; malign; slander
- Slang to overwhelm or defeat decisively
Etymology: ME smerien < OE smerian, to anoint, akin to Ger schmieren < IE base *smeru-, grease > OIr smir, marrow & (prob.) L medulla, marrow
intransitive verb
to be or become smeared
noun
- a spot or mark made by smearing
- a small quantity of some substance, as blood, smeared on a slide for microscopic study, etc.
- the act or an instance of smearing, or slandering, someone
- Obsolete ointment
- a substance to be smeared on something
Etymology: ME smere < OE smeoru, grease
smear*
Synonyms
smear
Synonyms
smear
v.
smear
Usage Examples
Object
- butter: You can smear peanut butter inside for her to lick out.
Converse of object
- stain: This crude test compared well to analysis of a stained smear of the same blood back in the laboratory.
Adjective modifier
- cervical: Cervical smears should be carried out every three years.
- dyskaryotic: Sample groups Women with a first diagnosis of a midly dyskaryotic smear or two consecutive borderline smears.
- abnormal: However, anyone over 64 who has ever had abnormal smears will be invited for screening in the normal way.
- unscheduled: How can we reduce the frequency of unscheduled smears?
- vaginal: The diagnostic value of vaginal smears in carcinoma of the uterus.
- inadequate: Inadequate smears were those which provided little or no basis for report and so led to a request for a repeat smear.
Modifies a noun
- test: McGovern had a smear test early in 2000 at Kingston hospital.
- tactic: The constant use of this smear tactic by New Labor has now ceased to be effective.
- campaign: Mr Herring later claimed he was the victim of a smear campaign by his own union.
- abnormality: The reason for this is that a lot of minor smear abnormalities go back to normal after several months.
- screening: Cervical smear screening for women should be done every two years or so from the age of first sexual activity onwards.
- testing: Early detection with cervical smear testing can limit the risk of cancer.
Noun used with modifier
- pap: Most women should get a Pap smear once a year.
- sputum: Infection is most commonly acquired by aerosol spread from index cases, who are sputum smear positive.
- repeat: A repeat smear will be needed, usually in six months.
- blood: In the clinic, the animals showing signs of anemia and lethargy have hematology and blood smears done virtually routinely.
Preposition: with
