▪ I. smiling, vbl. n.
(ˈsmaɪlɪŋ)
[f. smile v.]
1. The action of the verb; an instance of this, a smile. Also transf. and fig.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xli. (Agnes) 129 Scho..at his vordis mad smylyng in manere of scornyng. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 119 A Nonne..That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 461/1 Smylynge, subrisus. 1508 Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 230, I turne it in a tender luke,..And him behaldis hamely, with hertly smyling. 1553 Bale Vocacyon 27 They flonge vp their cappes..with smylinges and laughinges most dissolutely. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iii. vii. 167 The beere will be sower for the Suns smiling on it. 17.. Ramsay Marriage of Lord G. vi. Wks. 1877 II. 218 I'll study thy delight..And..Fix throughout life a constant smiling. 1771 Junius Lett. xlix. (1788) 268 May the gift of smiling never depart from him! 1812 Cary Dante, Parad. iii. 24 Wonder not thou..at this my smiling. |
| attrib. a 1500 Chaucer's Dreme in Speght (1598) 359/1 That smiling signe Was token that the hart encline Would to requests reasonable. |
2. U.S. Drinking, tippling.
| 1858 in Bartlett Dict. Amer. (1859) 420 There are many more fast boys about—some devoted to the sex—some to horses—some to ‘smiling’. 1864 Reader 7 Apr. 451/3 Tobacco-chewing..and smiling (the new Yankee phrase for liquoring-up). |
Add: [1.] b. In electrophoresis, the curving of bands of material on a gel as a result of differing rates of migration of material at its centre and edges.
| 1982 R. W. Davies in Rickwood & Hames Gel Electrophoresis Nucleic Acids iv. 144 When polyacrylamide gels are electrophoresed, differential heating in the centre of the gel compared to the edges causes oligonucleotides at the centre to run faster than those at the edge... This effect has been called ‘smiling’ because of the form of the dye-front. 1986 Electrophoresis VII. 54/2 ‘Smiling’..makes the nucleic acid sequence difficult to interpret. 1988 Nature 2 June 477/3 The system virtually eliminates ‘smiling’ and the related sample mobility artefacts which commonly occur in sequencing gels. |
▪ II. smiling, ppl. a.
(ˈsmaɪlɪŋ)
[f. as prec.]
1. a. That smiles; covered with or wearing a smile or smiles.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11509 Ful suetlik wit smiland chere, [He] biheild þaa giftes riche and dere. 1514 Barclay Cyt. & Uplondyshman (Percy Soc.) 12 Anone came our Lorde..And her saluted, with swete and smylynge chere. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xx. 24 b, A smiling and dissembling countenance. 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. v. 106 Oh Villaine, Villaine, smiling, damned Villaine! 1663 S. Patrick Parable Pilgr. xxvii, He thought he saw a Man coming to him with a very smiling aspect. 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 222 That house..Where grey-beard mirth and smiling toil retired. 1812 Combe Syntax, Picturesque xx. 12 His hat a smiling face o'erspread. 1820 Scott Monast. xxi, I can judge of the dark purpose, though it is hid under the smiling brow. 1840 Thackeray Cox's Diary June, One of the meekest, smilingest little men I ever saw. |
b. transf. or fig.
| 1576 Gascoigne Philomene Wks. 1910 II. 182 But smyling lucke, bewitcht This peerelesse Prince to thinke, That [etc.]. 1692 Norris Curs. Refl. 22 These indeed are pretty smiling sentences. ? 1713 Parnell On Q. Anne's Peace Posth. Wks. (1758) 260 Here smiling Safety..Securely walks, and chearful Plenty there. 1796 Burney Mem. Metastasio III. 154 Your own talents,..and smiling time of life, render your election certain. 1837 Lockhart Scott IV. i. 17 By..representing every thing in the most smiling colours. |
2. Characterized by smiles or a smiling manner; accompanied by a smile or smiles. Also fig.
| 1803 J. Porter Thaddeus, Her smiling tears spoke more than her lips. 1842 Browning Incident French Camp iii, Then off there flung in smiling joy, And held himself erect By just his horse's mane, a boy. 1901 G. Douglas Ho. Green Shutters 207 The cunning old pryer went on, with a smiling suavity in his voice. |
3. transf. Of physical features, etc.: Looking bright or cheerful; pleasant, agreeable to the sight.
| 1725 Pope Odyss. x. 108 Smiling calmness silver'd o'er the deep. 1742 Gray West 1 In vain to me the smileing Mornings shine. 1750 ― Elegy 63 To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land. 1805 Wordsw. Elegiac Stanzas 38 Not for a moment could I now behold A smiling sea. 1842 Borrow Bible in Spain xvi, The grand..desert of Andalusia, once a smiling garden. 1879 Edinb. Rev. CL. 436 The hill above is populous with smiling villas. |
4. Of beer, etc.: Sparkling. ? Obs.
| 1725 Fam. Dict. s.v. Bottling of beer, Scum off the same again, and while it is in a smiling Condition, put three Spoonfuls to each Bottle. |
5. Comb., as smiling-featured, smiling-lipped, smiling-sweet.
| 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. ii. iv. Columnes 710 Those eyes so smiling-sweet. 1827 Pollok Course T. (1854) 207 Ye smiling-featured daughters of the sun! 1936 C. S. Lewis in Oxford Mag. 14 May 575/2 The smiling-lipped Assyrian, cruel-bearded king. |