Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Smŭg, a. p. 1248Studiously neat or nice; spruce; affectedly nice. “The smug and scanty draperies of his style.” De Quincey. A young, smug, handsome holiness has no fellow. Beau. & Fl. Judgment falls asleep upon the…Smŭg, v. t. p. 1248To make spruce; to dress with affected neatness. [Obs.] Thus said, he smugged his beard, and stroked up fair. Drayton.Smūg'gle, v. t. p. 1248To import or export secretly, contrary to the law; or secretly to import or export without paying the duties imposed by law; to run; as, to smuggle lace. 2. To convey, or introduce, clandestinely.Smŭg'gler, n. p. 1248One who smuggles, or imports or exports goods privately and contrary to law, either contraband goods or dutiable goods, without paying the customs. 2. A vessel employed in smuggling.Smŭg'ly, adv. p. 1248In a smug manner; neatly; sprucely. [Rare.] Gay.Smūg'ness, n. p. 1248The state or quality of being smug; studied neatness; affected elegance. [R.] Sherwood.Smū'ly, a. p. 1248Looking smoothly; demure. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]Smūt, n. p. 1248Foul matter, like soot or coal-dust, or the spot or soil which this makes. 2. (Mining.) Bad, soft coal, containing much earthy matter, found in the immediate locality of faults. 3. (Bot.) A parasitic…Smūt, v. t. p. 1248To stain or mark with smut; to blacken with coal, soot, or other dirty substance. 2. To taint with mildew, as grain. Bacon. 3. To blacken; to tarnish.Smūt, v. i. p. 1248To gather smut; to be converted into smut. Mortimer. 2. To give off smut; to crock.Smūtch, v. t. p. 1248To blacken with smoke, soot, or coal. [Written also smooch.] B. Jonson.Smūtch, n. p. 1248Stain; dirty spot. B. Jonson.Smŭtch'in, n. p. 1248Snuff. [Obs. or rare.] Howell.Smūt'-mĭll, n. p. 1248A machine for cleansing grain from smut.Smút'ti-ly, adv. p. 1248In a smutty manner; smokily; foully. 2. With obscene language; obscenely.Smŭt'ti-ness, n. p. 1248The quality or condition of being smutty; soil from smoke, soot, coal, or smut. 2. Obsceneness of language; indecency in speaking or writing.Smŭt'ty, a. p. 1249Soiled with smut, coal, soot, or the like. 2. Tainted with mildew; as, smutty corn. 3. Obscene; not modest or pure. “The smutty joke, ridiculously lewd.” Smollett.Smȳ'r'ní-ot, a. p. 1249(Geog.) Of, or pertaining to, Smyrna.Smȳr'nĭ-ot, n. p. 1249(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Smyrna.Snăck, n. p. 1249A share; an equal part or portion; — obsolete, except in the colloquial phrase, go snacks. 2. A slight, hasty repast. To go snacks, to share; to take part. At last he whispers, “Do, and we go…Snăck'et, n. p. 1249The hasp of a casement. [Written also snecket.] [Prov. Eng.]Snāe'ot, n. p. 1249(Ichth.) A certain fish; the gar-pike; the sea-needle. Ainsworth.Snāf'fle, n. p. 1249A bridle consisting of a slender bit-mouth, without branches. 2. A snaffle-bit. Herbert.Snăf'fle, v. t. p. 1249To bridle; to hold or manage with a bridle.Snäf'fle-bĭt, n. p. 1249A kind of slender bit, having a joint in the part to be placed in the mouth.Snăg, n. p. 1249A short branch, or a sharp or rough branch; a shoot; a knot. The coat of arms Now on a naked snag in triumph borne. Dryden. 2. A tooth, in contempt; or a tooth projecting beyond the rest. Prior. 3.…Snag-boat p. 1249a steamboat fitted with an apparatus for removing snags, or other obstructions to navigation, in rivers. Simmonds.Snăg, v. t. p. 1249To cut the snags or branches from, as the stem of a tree; to hew roughly. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. 2. To injure or destroy by or upon a snag, or projecting part of a sunken tree; as to snag a…Snāg'ged, a. p. 1249Full of snags; snaggy.Snăg'gy, a. p. 1249Full of snags; full of short, rough branches or sharp points; abounding with knots; as, a snaggy tree; a snaggy stick. His weapon was a tall and snaggy oak. Heywood. 2. Snappish; cross; ill-tempered.…Snăg'-tōōth, n. p. 1249A tooth longer than others. [Obs.] How thy snag-teeth stand orderly, Like stakes which strut by the water side. Cotgrave.Snail, n. p. 1249(Zoöl.) An air-breathing gasteropod mollusk, of the genus Helix, which moves very slowly by creeping. The eyes of this animal are in the horns, one at the end of each, which it can retract at…Snāil'-clō'ver, n. p. 1249(Bot.) A plant of the genus Medicago, (M. scutellata of Linnæus);—so named from its pods, which resemble the shells of snails;—called also snail-trefōil.Snail'-flow'er, n. p. 1249(Bot.) A plant of the genus Phaseolus, allied to the kidney-bean. Loudon.Snāil'-like, adv. p. 1249In the manner of a snail; slowly. Your courtiers move so snail-like in your business. Shak.Snāil'-pāçed, a. p. 1249Slow-moving, like a snail. Bid the snail-paced Ajax arm for shame. Shak.Snāil'-slōw, a. p. 1249As slow as a snail; extremely slow.Snāil'-trē'foil, n. p. 1249See SNAIL-CLOVER.Snāke, n. p. 1249A serpent of the oviparous kind, distinguished from a viper; a serpent;—the common and general name.Snāke, v. t. p. 1249To drag or draw, as a snake from a hole;—often with out. [U. S.] Bartlett. 2. (Naut.) To wind round spirally, as a large rope with a smaller one, or with cord, the small ropes lying in the spaces…Snāke, v. i. p. 1249To crawl like a snake. [U. S.]Snāke'-bird, n. p. 1249(Ornith.) A bird of the genus Plotus; the darter;—so called from its long, tortuous, snake-like neck. See DARTER.Snāke-gōurd, n. p. 1249(Bot.) A climbing plant of the genus Tricosanthes, the fruit of one species of which (T. anguina) resembles a serpent, whence the name.Snāke'-hēad, n. p. 1249One end of one of the flat or strap-rails upon which car-wheels run, sometimes used in constructing railroads, which, becoming loose, and rising, sometimes forces its way into the cars. [U. S.] 2.…Snāke'-mŏss, n. p. 1249(Bot.) A plant of the genus Lycopodium (L. clavatum); club-moss. See LYCOPODIUM. Simmonds.Snāke'-nŭt, n. p. 1249(Bot.) The fruit of a tree of the genus Ophiocaryon (O. paradoxum), the embryo of which resembles a snake coiled up. It is found in Demarara. Lindley.Snake'-root, n. p. 1249(Bot.) One of several plants of different genera and species, most of which are, or were formerly, reputed to be efficacious as remedies for the bites of serpents, as the Virginia snakeroot…Snāke’s’-hĕad-ī’ris, n. p. 1249(Bot.) A bulbous plant (Iris tuberosa) of Arabia.Snāke'-stōne, n. p. 1249A kind of hone-slate or whet-stone obtained in Scotland. Simmonds. 2. (Palæon.) A fossil ammonite;—so called from its form, which resembles that of a coiled snake.Snāke'-weed, n. p. 1249(Bot.) (a.) A plant of the genus Polygonum; bistort. (b.) A plant of the genus Aristolochia (A. serpentaria).Snāke'wood, n. p. 1249(Bot.) (a.) A climbing plant (the Strychnos colubrina), growing in the Isle of Timor and other parts of the East, having a bitter taste, and supposed to be a certain remedy for the bite of the hooded…Snāk'ish, a. p. 1249Having the qualities of a snake; snaky.Snāk'y, a. p. 1249Pertaining to a snake, or to snakes; resembling a snake; serpentine; winding. 2. Sly; cunning; insinuating; deceitful. So to the coast of Jordan he directs His easy steps, girded with snak'y wiles.…Snāp, v. t. p. 1249To break at once; to break short, as substances that are brittle. “Breaks the doors open, snaps the locks.” Prior. 2. To strike with a sharp sound. 3. To bite or seize suddenly, especially with the…Snāp, v. i. p. 1249To break short; to part asunder suddenly; as, a mast or spar snaps; a needle snaps. But this weapon will snap short, unfaithful to the hand that employs it. Burke. 2. To make an effort to bite; to…Snapping turtle p. 1249a kind of tortoise found in the fresh waters of the United States, which, when enraged, snaps at any thing near it; Chelydra serpentina. Agassiz.Snāp, n. p. 1249A sudden breaking or rupture of any substance. 2. A sudden, eager bite; a sudden seizing, or effort to seize, with the teeth. 3. A crack of a whip, or a similar sound. 4. A greedy fellow. L’Estrange.…Snāp'-būg, n. p. 1249(Entom.) A snap or skip-jack. See SNAP, 8.Snāp'drāg-on, n. p. 1249(Bot.) A plant of the genus Antirrhinum, the showy corollas of some species of which resemble the face of an animal or a mask. 2. A play in which raisins or sweetmeats are snatched from burning…Snāp'hançe, n. p. 1249A spring lock for discharging a fire-arm; also, the arm to which it is attached. Halliwell. 2. A trifling thing or person; a snap of the fingers. “Payeth me with snaphances.” Marston.