English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

SME

abbreviation

Small and medium-sized enterprise: a business below a set threshold of staff numbers and turnover, used as an official category in government policy, lending and statistics.

smear

verb

To spread a soft or sticky substance across a surface, often messily.

smearing

noun

A mark or stain left by spreading something across a surface.

smee

noun

A wigeon or similar duck (also used loosely for the pintail, pochard, or smew).

smell

noun

A sensation caused by breathing in odor particles, pleasant or unpleasant.

smeller

noun

A person or thing that can detect smells.

smelling

noun

The act of detecting something by odor.

smelly

adjective

Having a strong, unpleasant odor.

smelt

noun

A small silvery fish found in cold ocean waters and lakes.

smelting

noun

The process of heating ore to extract pure metal from it.

smh

abbreviation

Shaking my head: used in texts and online posts to signal disappointment, disbelief or secondhand embarrassment at something.

smidge

noun

(informal) A tiny amount; a smidgen.

smidgen

noun

A tiny amount of something.

smile

noun

A facial expression made by curving the mouth upward, usually showing happiness or friendliness.

smiler

noun

A keen fan of the American star Miley Cyrus.

Smiles

name

An English surname, notably borne by Victorian author Samuel Smiles, known for his self-help writing.

smiley

adjective

Cheerful and often smiling.

smiling

adjective

Wearing a smile; cheerful in expression.

smirch

noun

A mark of dirt, or a stain.

smirk

noun

A sly, self-satisfied, or mocking half-smile.

smirking

noun

The act of wearing a smug or mocking half-smile.

smite

verb

(literary) To strike hard, especially with a weapon or divine power.

smith

noun

A craftsperson who shapes metal by hammering, especially a blacksmith.

smithereens

noun

Small scattered fragments, especially from something broken violently.

Smithers

name

An English surname, an occupational name for a metalworker or smith.

Smithsonian

noun

The Smithsonian Institution — the large group of museums and research centers in the United States, founded in 1846.

smithsonite

noun

Smithsonite is a mineral form of zinc carbonate, mined both as a source of zinc and as an ornamental stone.

smithy

noun

A blacksmith's workshop; a forge.

smitten

adjective

Deeply in love or infatuated.

Smitty

name

An informal nickname, typically a shortened form of Smith or Smithson.

smock

noun

A loose overgarment worn to protect clothes, especially by painters or children.

smog

noun

A thick haze of smoke and fog caused by air pollution.

smogginess

noun

How smoggy the air is.

smoke

noun

The visible gas and particles given off by something burning.

smoked

adjective

Treated with smoke, especially to preserve or flavor food.

smokefall

noun

(literary) The end of the day, just before dark, when mist appears.

smoker

noun

A person who regularly smokes tobacco.

smokescreen

noun

A cloud of smoke used to hide troops or movement.

smokestack

noun

A tall pipe or chimney on something like a train, ship or factory, that lets smoke escape.

smokey

noun

(slang, US) A police officer or state trooper, especially one watching for speeders.

smoking

noun

The act of inhaling and exhaling smoke from tobacco or another substance.

smoko

noun

(Australian/NZ, informal) A short break from work, originally for a cigarette but now for any rest or snack.

smoky

adjective

Filled with or giving off smoke.

smol

adjective

Small in a way that is endearing rather than merely little, used online of animals, children and small objects you find adorable.

smolder

verb

To burn gently and produce smoke, without much of a flame.

smooch

noun

(informal) A kiss.

smooth

adjective

Having an even surface, free of bumps or roughness.

smoother

noun

A tool or person that makes something smooth.

smoothie

noun

A thick drink made by blending fruit, often with yogurt, milk, or ice.

smoothing

noun

The act or process of making something smooth.

smoothly

adverb

In a smooth, even way, without interruptions, friction, or trouble.

smoothness

noun

How smooth something is.

smoothy

adj

Smooth in nature or appearance.

smorgasbord

noun

A buffet-style spread of many different dishes laid out for guests to help themselves.

smother

verb

To cover something so completely that it cannot get air, cutting off its breathing or, for a fire, its oxygen.

smotheriness

noun

The quality of being smothery.

smothering

noun

The act of covering or suppressing something so completely it cannot breathe, grow, or develop.

SMS

verb

To send a text message to someone's mobile phone.

smudge

noun

A smear or blurry mark, especially one made by dirt, ink, or makeup.

smudged

adjective

Blurred or smeared, typically from being rubbed or handled while wet.

smudginess

noun

The state of being smudgy.

smudgy

adj

Covered with smudges.

smug

adjective

Overly pleased with oneself, in a way that others find annoying.

smuggle

verb

To move goods or people illegally across a border or past authorities, avoiding taxes, laws, or detection.

smuggler

noun

A person who illegally moves goods or people across a border or past authorities.

smuggling

noun

The act of illegally moving goods or people across a border or past authorities.

smurf

noun

One of the small blue fictional characters from the Belgian comic and cartoon franchise The Smurfs.

smush

noun

A mass produced by beating or crushing something.

smut

noun

Sexually explicit or crude material, especially writing, images, or jokes.

smutch

verb

To make something dirty with a mark or stain.

smutty

adj

Dirty and blackened with grime.

smvt

noun

A filter-avoidance spelling of smut.

Smythe

noun

A surname, an older spelling variant of Smith, originally denoting someone who worked as a metalworker.

snack

noun

A small amount of food eaten between main meals.

SNAFU

noun

A confused, chaotic mess or a major mistake, especially one caused by miscommunication or poor planning.

snag

noun

An unexpected problem or obstacle.

snagged

adjective

Caught or torn on a sharp or rough edge.

snail

noun

A small, slow-moving mollusc with a spiral shell that it carries on its back.

snake

noun

A long, legless reptile that moves by slithering, some species of which are venomous.

snakebit

adj

Having been bitten by a snake.

snakebite

noun

A wound or injury caused by a snake biting someone.

snakes

intj

An old-fashioned exclamation of surprise, shock, or alarm (short for "snakes alive!").

snakeskin

noun

The skin of a snake, especially when used as a leather material.

snap

verb

To break suddenly with a sharp cracking sound.

Snapchat

noun

A mobile app for sending photos and videos that disappear after being viewed, launched in 2011.

snapdragon

noun

A garden plant of the genus Antirrhinum, prized for its brightly coloured red, yellow or white blooms.

Snape

verb

To cut the end of a piece of wood at an angle so it fits flush against a sloped surface.

snapper

noun

Any of a large family of saltwater fish, many of which are popular as food.

snapperhead

noun

(informal) A stupid person.

snapping

noun

The sharp cracking sound of something breaking, or the act of speaking sharply to someone.

snappish

adj

Inclined to snap or bite.

snappishness

noun

How snappish someone or something is.

snappy

adjective

Quick and to the point, often used approvingly.

snapshot

noun

A photograph, especially an informal one taken quickly.

snare

noun

A trap, often a wire loop, used to catch animals.

snarelike

adj

Similar to a snare drum, or to the sound it makes.

snark

noun

(informal) A mocking, sarcastic attitude or remark.

snarky

adjective

Sarcastic and mildly mocking, often out of irritation.

snarl

verb

To growl and bare the teeth angrily, as an animal does.

snarling

adjective

Growling angrily, or speaking in an aggressive tone.

snart

noun

A slang term for sneezing and passing wind at the same moment.

snary

adj

Like a trap, or made of traps; likely to catch someone out.

snatch

verb

To grab something suddenly and quickly.

snatched

adjective

Slang for looking especially good, sharp, or well put-together.

snatcher

noun

One who snatches or steals things, especially by grabbing quickly.

snatching

noun

The act of grabbing or stealing something suddenly.

snazztastic

adj

Excellent; remarkable.

snazzy

adjective

Stylish and eye-catching, often in a flashy way.

snead

name

The name of a town in Blount County, Alabama, United States.

sneak

verb

To move quietly and carefully so as not to be noticed.

sneak peek

noun

A short early look at something before it is released or made public, given deliberately to build interest.

sneaker

noun

A soft-soled athletic shoe, called a trainer in British English.

sneaking

adjective

Held privately or quietly, without being openly admitted — often used for a feeling or suspicion.

sneaky

adjective

Acting in a secretive, underhanded, or dishonest way.

sneaky link

noun

A person someone meets up with in secret, usually for casual sex, without telling friends or a partner.

sneap

verb

To nip, bite, or pinch a person or thing.

sneer

verb

To curl the lip slightly in contempt or scorn.

sneering

adjective

Showing scorn or contempt, especially in tone or expression.

sneeze

verb

To suddenly and forcefully expel air through the nose and mouth, usually from irritation.

sneezing

noun

The act of repeatedly producing sneezes.

snell

adjective

Quick, sharp, or brisk — a mostly Scots and dialectal word.

snick

verb

To make a small cut in something.

snickelway

noun

A thin passage that runs between buildings.

snicker

verb

To laugh quietly in a stifled or half-suppressed way, often at someone else's expense.

snickering

noun

Quiet, suppressed laughter, often at someone's expense.

Snickers

noun

A brand of chocolate bar filled with peanuts, caramel, and nougat.

snicket

noun

A narrow lane or alleyway.

snicklefritz

noun

A child, especially a mischievous one; especially as a nickname or term of endearment, or exasperation. Alternative letter-case form of Snicklefritz.

snide

adjective

Making sly, mocking, or belittling remarks, often disguised as harmless comments.

sniff

verb

To inhale audibly through the nose, often to smell something.

sniffer

noun

Someone or something that sniffs — including a trained detection dog.

sniffing

noun

The act or sound of inhaling through the nose repeatedly.

sniffle

verb

To sniff repeatedly and quietly, usually because of a cold or crying.

sniffles

noun

A mild cold marked by a runny nose, or the runny nose itself.

sniffling

noun

The act or sound of repeatedly sniffing.

snigger

noun

A quiet laugh that is not fully let out.

sniggering

noun

Quiet, suppressed laughter, typically mocking.

sniggersome

adj

Marked by or full of sniggering.

sniggle

verb

To laugh quietly to oneself, as in a chuckle or snicker.

snip

verb

To cut with a quick, small motion, as with scissors.

snipe

noun

A long-billed wading bird found in marshes and wetlands.

sniper

noun

Someone trained to shoot accurately at targets from a hidden position, often at long range.

Snipes

name

An English surname, likely derived from the bird name "snipe" or a place associated with snipes.

sniping

noun

The act of shooting from a hidden position, or making repeated critical remarks.

snipper

noun

A tool for cutting small pieces off something.

snippet

noun

A short piece taken from something bigger, such as a tune or a piece of cloth.

snippetiness

noun

How snippety something or someone is.

snippety

adj

Made of several short pieces.

snipping

noun

The action of snipping or cutting something.

snippish

adj

Short-tempered and easily irritated.