▪ I. † ˈsmicker, a. Obs.
Forms: 1 smicer, 3 Orm. smikerr, 6–7 smicker.
[OE. smicer: cf. OHG. smehhar, smechar (MHG. smecker) elegant, delicate.]
1. Beautiful, elegant, fair, handsome. In later use only of persons.
| c 725 Corpus Gl. (Hessels) E 141 Elegans, smicre. a 1000 in Cockayne The Shrine (1864) 163 Þat he maᵹe windan maniᵹne smicerne wæn & maniᵹ ænlic hus settan. a 1000 in Thorpe Dipl. Angl. Sax. (1865) 536 Hio..bit þæt hi findon betweox him twa smicere scencingcuppan into beodern for hi. c 1200 Ormin 13679 Þurrh whatt he fell..Inntill niþ hellepine, & warrþ till atell defell þær Off shene & smikerr enngell. 1590 Tarlton News Purg. (1844) 114 The Smith seeing what a smicker wench the Coblers wife was,..sorrowed at the good fortune of the Cobler, that he had so faire a wife. 1590 Lodge Euphues (1592) P iv b, A smicker boy, a lyther Swaine, heigh ho a smicker Swaine: That in his Loue was wanton faine, with smiling looks straight came vnto her. |
| absol. 1639 J. Smyth in Glouc. Gloss. (1890) 201 Smoke will to the smicker: meaninge, If many gossips sit against a smokey chimney the smoke will bend to the fairest. |
2. Of looks: Smirking, gay.
| 1589 Peele Eclogue Gratulatory 4 Why bin thy looks so smicker and so proud? |
3. Loose or lax; wanton.
| 1606 Ford Fame's Memorial xxx, Reguardfull of his honor he forsooke The smicker vse of court-humanity. |
▪ II. ˈsmicker, v. Now only Sc.
Also 9 smikker.
[app. f. prec.]
† 1. intr. To look amorously or wantonly at or after a person. Obs.
| 1668 Dryden Even. Love iii. i, Must you be smickering after Wenches, while I am in Calamity? 1668 Davenant Man's the Master ii. i, No, no, I see I may make love long enough before you smicker at me. |
2. Sc. To smile or smirk.
| 1802 Sibbald Chron. Scot. Poetry Gloss., Smikker, to smile in a seducing manner. 1819 Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 70 At him, my grandsher, and the Vicar,..The god o' gaups did laugh and smikker. 1888 Delday in Edwards Mod. Sc. Poets 12th Ser. 41 To pass the time and have a chat, And see them sweetly smicker. |
Hence † ˈsmickering vbl. n., an amorous inclination. Obs.
| 1699 Dryden Let. to Mrs. Steward 28 Sept., We had a young doctour, who rode by our coach, and seem'd to have a smickering to our young lady of Pilton. |