besmear, v.
(bɪˈsmɪə(r))
Forms: 1 bismierwan, besmyrwan, 3 bismeoruwien, 6 besmeere, -smere, -smire, 6–7 besmeare, 7–8 besmeer, 6– besmear.
[OE. bismierwan, late WSax. besmyrwan, Anglian besmerwan, f. bi-, be- 1 + smierwan, smerwan (pa. t smierede):—OTeut. *smerwjan to smear, f. *smerwo-(m), in OE. smeoru, smeru, ointment, grease.]
trans. To smear over or about; to cover the surface generally or largely with any greasy, viscous, or sticky substance; usually with the notion of soiling or staining: to bedaub.
| c 1050 Gloss. Cott. Cleop. in Wr.-Wülcker Voc. 422/14 Interlitam, besmyred. a 1225 Ancr. R. 214 Kumeð forð biuoren his Louerde bismitted & bismeoruwed. 1535 Joye Apol. Tindale 50 Besmering and dawbing eche other with dirte and myer. 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. ii. 42 The divelish hag..With wicked herbes and oyntments did besmeare My body. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. v. 55 That face of his..was besmear'd As blacke as Vulcan in the smoake of warre. 1777 Robertson Hist. Amer. (1783) II. 145 They besmear their children with the blood. 1837 W. Irving Capt. Bonneville (1849) 42 He..caused the bodies of the wagons to be..besmeared with a compound of tallow and ashes. |
b. predicated of the unguent or viscous matter.
| a 1700 Dryden (J.) Her gushing blood the pavement all besmear'd. 1725 Pope Odyss. xxii. 329 His batter'd front and brains besmear the stone. |
c. intr. (for refl.) To become besmeared.
| 1587 Turberv. Louer confess. (R.) If face besmear with often streames. |
2. fig. To sully, defile, pollute.
| 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 245/2 That they bee not besmeered with any blame. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. v. 219 My honor would not let ingratitude So much besmeare it. 1612 T. Taylor Comm. Titus i. 10 (1619) 216 With the black coales of enuious and slanderous inuectiues striuing to besmeare them. 1867 Sat. Rev. 5 July, Ministers vie with each other in getting themselues besmeared. |