▪ I. smeek, n. Latterly Sc. and † north.
Forms: α. 2–5 smeke, 3 smec, 4 smek, 5–6 smeik, 5, 8– smeek. β. 2–4 smike, 5 smyk(e.
[The more northern forms representing OE. sméc and sm{iacu}c, sm{yacu}c: see smeech n. and smitch n.1]
1. Smoke arising from burning or smouldering matter; reek. Also in fig. context.
Also in mod. Sc. use, ‘a strong or foul smell’.
| α c 1200 Ormin 1088 Þær wass swa mikell smec Off recless att tatt allterr. c 1250 Moral Ode 9 in E.E.P. (1862) 22 Ne myht ic isen be-fore me for smeke ne for myste. c 1325 Metr. Hom. 104 Rekeles..gifs smek that smelles wele, And fer men mai the smek fele. 1382 Wyclif Exod. xix. 18 The smeek steyde vp of it as of a furneys. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. 191 But inwarde brent of hate..The hoote fyre, & ȝit ther was no smeke. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. vii. 69 Yf the smeke Perpetuel vppon their dwellyng reke. c 1590 Montgomerie Sonn. xxv. 2, I grein to sie the sillie smiddy smeik. a 1774 Fergusson Farmer's Ingle Poems (1845) 35 Heathery truffs the chimney fill And gar their thickening smeek salute the lift. 1785 Burns Vision iii, The spewing reek, That fill'd, wi' hoast-provoking smeek, The auld clay biggin. 1874 W. Allan Hame-Spun Lilts 160 Wi' smeek, I thocht they'd baith been smored. |
| β a 1200 Moral Ode in O.E. Hom. I. 161 Ne michte ich seon bi-fore me for smike ne for miste. a 1300 Cursor M. 2742 Þe smike it reches to þe scki. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. xi. 362 Let vessel hit, & sette hit vp in smyke. c 1460 Promp. Parv. (Winch.) 459 Smore with smyk, fumigo. |
b. In pl. Also in fig. context.
| a 1200 Vices & Virt. 129 Hwanene cumeð manies kennes smekes of unþolemodnesse. c 1400 Sc. Trojan War ii. 856 With quhilk birnyng now it reikis, As wele apperis by þe smeikis. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xv, So nyȝe discumford was hee, For smelle other smekis. |
2. attrib. and Comb., as smeek-house; smeek-like adj.
| a 1200 Vices & Virt. 129 Ðe þu wunest on ðe smec-huse of ðine likame. a 1400 Stockh. Med. MS. ii. 951 in Anglia XVIII. 330 Dun-red is his flour, Þe erbe smek lik in colour. |
▪ II. smeek, v. Latterly Sc. and † north.
Forms: 1 smeocan, 2 smeken, 5 smekyn; 3–4 smeke, 9 smeak, smeik, 9– smeek.
[OE. sméocan strong v. (pa. tense sméac), = MDu. smieken (rare), G. dial. smiechen, related by ablaut to OE. smocian smoke v. and to MDu. smōken, G. schmauchen. Perh. also partly repr. OE. smécan, sm{iacu}can: cf. prec.]
1. intr. To emit smoke; to reek; to send out or give off steam or vapour. Also in fig. context.
| a 1000 Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 244 Fumigabunt, smeocaþ. c 1000 ælfric Exod. xix. 18 Eall Sinai munt smeac [L. fumabat]. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 338 Heortes mearh ᵹebærned oð þæt hyt smeoce. c 1325 Prose Ps. ciii. 32 Þe which toucheþ þe mounteyns, and hij shul smoken [v.r. smeke]. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. 4380 For hatred olde to brenne can nat lete With newe flawme..; Ȝif it nat smeke, it is þe more to drede. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 460/2 Smekyn, or smokyn, fumo, fumigo. Ibid., Smekyn, or smokyn as hote lycure, vaporo. |
2. trans. To apply smoke or fumes to, esp. in order to cleanse, cure, dry, etc.; to fumigate.
| c 1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 352 Wið cyrnla sare, smeoc þone man mid gate hærum. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xlix. (Thecla) 111 Þe fire þat ves dycht to bryne me, to brule & smeke. 1808 Jamieson, Smeik, Smeek, to dry by smoke. 1815 Pennecuik's Tweeddale 90 note, Smeeking our heads o'er the fire a' winter. 1882 Jamieson's Sc. Dict. IV. 303/1 To smeek fish, i.e. to cure them. Ibid. 303/2 To smeek yarn, to smeek the room. |
b. To suffocate (bees), to drive out (an animal), by means of smoke.
| 1816 Scott Bl. Dwarf xviii, Elshie's skeps o' bees..shall ne'er be smeekit by ony o' huz. 1821 ― Pirate xxxv, My bees were as dead as if they had been smeaked. 1882 J. Walker Jaunt to Auld Reekie 219 Smeek in his hole the snoozing badger. |
† 3. To scent with incense; to cense. Obs.—1
| 1382 Wyclif Ecclus. xxiv. 21 And as torax, and galban, and vngula,..I smekede my dwelling; and as balsame not mengd is my smel. |
Hence smeeked, ˈsmeeking ppl. adjs.
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xii. 20 Smeocende [Hatt. smekende] flex he ne adwæscþ. 13.. in Reliq. Antiq. I. 240 Swarte smekyd smethes smateryd with smoke. |