Smite1, v. t.
v. t. [imp. SMOTE; p. p. SMITTEN, rarely SMIT; p. pr. & vb. n. SMITING.] [A-S. smitan, O. Fries. smitta, L. Ger. smiten, D. smijten, O. & Prov. Sw. smita, Dan. smide, O. H. Ger. smizan, N. H. Ger. schmeizen.]
Sense 1. To throw, drive, or force the fist or hand, or stone or weapon, against; to reach with a blow or a weapon; to strike; to beat with a hammer; as, to smite one with the fist; to smite with a rod or with a stone.
Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matt. v. 39.
Sense 2. To destroy the life of by beating, or by weapons of any kind; to slay by a blow; to kill; as, to smite one with the sword, or with an arrow or other engine.
Sense 3. To beat or put to rout in battle; to destroy or overthrow by war.
Sense 4. To blast; to destroy the life of, as by a stroke or by something sent.
The flax and the barley were smitten. Ex. ix. 31.
Sense 5. To afflict; to chasten; to punish.
Let us not mistake God's goodness, nor imagine, because he smites us, that we are forsaken by him. Wake.
Sense 6. To strike or affect with passion, as love or fear.
See . . . the charms that smite the simple heart. Pope.
Smit with the love of sister arts, we came. Pope.
To smite off, to cut off. — To smite out, to knock out, as a tooth. Exod. xxi. 27. — To smite with the tongue, to reproach or upbraid; to revile. [Obs.] Jer. xviii. 18.