smear
verb
[ smɪə ]
• coat or mark (something) messily or carelessly with a greasy or sticky substance.
• "his face was smeared with dirt"
Similar:
streak,
smudge,
stain,
mark,
soil,
dirty,
blur,
splotch,
splodge,
besmirch,
cover,
coat,
grease,
lard,
anoint,
bedaub,
• damage the reputation of (someone) by false accusations; slander.
• "someone was trying to smear her by faking letters"
Similar:
sully,
tarnish,
besmirch,
blacken,
drag through the mud/mire,
stain,
taint,
damage,
defame,
discredit,
defile,
vilify,
malign,
slander,
libel,
stigmatize,
calumniate,
slur,
do a hatchet job on,
smirch,
asperse,
vilipend,
smear
noun
• a mark or streak of a greasy or sticky substance.
• "there was an oil smear on his jacket"
Similar:
streak,
smudge,
daub,
dab,
spot,
patch,
blotch,
blob,
stain,
mark,
splotch,
splodge,
• a sample of tissue or other material taken from part of the body, spread thinly on a microscope slide for examination, typically for medical diagnosis.
• "the smears were stained for cryptosporidium"
• a false accusation intended to damage someone's reputation.
• "the popular press were indulging in unwarranted smears"
Similar:
false accusation,
false report,
false imputation,
slander,
libel,
lie,
untruth,
slur,
defamation,
calumny,
vilification,
stain,
taint,
• an insecure foothold.
• "soon you're eyeballing the top, just one smear away"
Origin:
Old English smierwan (verb), smeoru ‘ointment, grease’, of Germanic origin; related to German schmieren (verb), Schmer (noun).
