smudging

Variant of smudge

smudge definition

smudge (smuj)

noun

  1. a stain, blur, or smear; dirty spot
    1. a fire made to produce dense smoke
    2. such smoke produced by burning a material in containers (smudge pots), esp. for driving away insects or protecting plants from frost

Etymology: Early ModE, prob. < the v.

transitive verb smudged, smudging smudg′·ing

  1. to protect (an orchard, etc.) with smudge
  2. to make dirty; soil; smutch

Etymology: ME smogen, akin to Du smotsen, to besmirch: for IE base see smut

intransitive verb

  1. to blur or smear
  2. to become smudged

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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