▪ I. smother, n.
(ˈsmʌðə(r))
Forms: α. 2 smorðer, 3 smurðre, 4 smorþre, 5 smorþur, -thour, -ther. β. 3–4 smoþer, 6– smother, 6–7 smoother. γ. 5 smodyr, -er, 6 smooder, 9 dial. smudder.
[Early ME. smorðer, f. the stem of OE. smorian smore v.]
1. a. Dense, suffocating, or stifling smoke, such as is produced by combustion without flame. (Freq. coupled with smoke.)
| α c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 43 Þet þridde [was] fur,..þe siste smorðer. a 1225 Ancr. R. 272 Þes feones chef þet nis to none þinge nouht bute to helle smurðre. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xx. 303 When smoke and smorþre smyt in hus eyen. c 1400 Destr. Troy 11796 Hit fest was on fyre, & flappit out onone, Vnto smorther & smoke. |
| β, γ a 1300 Body & Soul in Map's Poems (Camden) 339 Þe erþe it openede anon, smoke and smoþer op it wal. 13.. Adultery 87 in Herrig Archiv LXXIX. 420 Smoþer & smoke þer come owte wylde. a 1400 Stockh. Medical MS. ii. 598 in Anglia XVIII. 322 Ȝif vnder nethyn þer hennys sate Of hennebane a smoþer thou make. a 1470 H. Parker Dives & Pauper (W. de W. 1496) vi. xxii. 270/2 There shall be brennynge fyre and smoder without ende. a 1618 Sylvester Urania lxxxii, A thick, dark, pitchy Cloud of smoak, That round-about a kindling Fire suppresses With waving smother. 1657 P. Henry Diaries & Lett. (1882) 33 When a fire is first kindled there's a great deale of smoke and smother. 1748 Anson's Voy. iii. viii. 381 The great smother and smoke of the oakum. 1787 G. White Selborne vii, Nothing is to be seen but smother and desolation. 1828 J. R. Planché Descent Danube i. 25 The distant dome of Saint Paul's rising above the smother of our huge metropolis. 1882 Blackmore Christowell l, Filled with blue sulphureous fog, and smother of bitumen. |
| Prov. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. i. ii. 299 Thus must I from the smoake into the smother. 1890 Daily News 25 June 5/1 They had gone from the smoke into the smother. |
| fig. 1565 Jewel Reply Harding, Answ. Concl. (1611) 651 Now the Sonne is vp; your smooder is scattered. 1654 Gataker Disc. Apol. 12 A great smother of foggie fumes, raised by slanderous tongues. 1697 Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. (1709) ii. 2 Why else do they..spend their Taper in Smoak and Smother? 1809 Malkin Gil Blas x. i. (Rtldg.) 337 The mad blockhead was so suffocated by the smother of authorship. 1975 N. Nicholson Wednesday Early Closing ix. 176 A dull smother of hopelessness hung over the town like the smutch from a smoking rubbish dump. |
b. A smouldering state or condition; a smouldering or slow-burning fire. Also
fig.| 1597 J. King On Jonas (1618) 172 It lieth happely in a smother and smoak a long time before it breaketh out. 1625 Bacon Ess., Suspicion (Arb.) 528 Men should remedy Suspicion, by procuring to know more, and not to keep their Suspicions in Smother. 1893 Wilts. Gloss., Smother, a weed and rubbish fire in a garden. 1899 T. S. Baldock Cromwell as Soldier 363 This [liberty] he employed in fanning the smother into flame. |
2. a. Dense or suffocating dust, fog, etc., filling the air.
| 1697 Dryden æneid ii. 827 Where clouds of dust arise,—Amid that smother, Neptune holds his place. 1806 Beresford Miseries Hum. Life iv. xlii, Rubbish, flying smother, tumbling bricks, &c. of a half-ruined house. 1845 Browning Flight of Duchess xi, The Duke..Stood for a while in a sultry smother. 1886 Stevenson Dr. Jekyll 50 Through the muffle and smother of these fallen clouds. |
b. A confused turmoil or welter of foam or water. Also
const. of.
| 1840 R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xviii, We..brought the boat to in a smother of foam. 1888 Stevenson Black Arrow 183 The horror of that great salt smother and welter under my foot here. 1890 Clark Russell My Shipmate Louise II. xx. 108 It made one think..of the smother one falls in with on the edge of the Gulf-Stream. |
c. A wild profusion
of flowers, etc.
| 1888 Daily News 2 July 5/8 The smother of roses along the river fronts. |
d. A smothered or indistinct noise.
| 1904 H. B. M. Watson Hurricane Island i. 7 A smother of sound came to me, as if the swimmer was under water, and his voice stifled. |
e. N.Z. An incident in which sheep are lost by suffocation caused by others falling on top of them, as during a round-up.
| 1930 L. G. D. Acland Early Canterbury Runs 1st Ser. vi. 128 They once had a bad smother there. Ibid. Mt. Peel was unlucky with smothers. 1933 ― in Press (Christchurch, N.Z.) 2 Dec. 15/7, I believe there was a still worse smother [of sheep] on a station called Roxburgh in Otago. 1949 S. S. Crawford Sheep & Sheepmen of Canterbury v. 42 Mt. Peel [station] was unlucky with smothers [of sheep]. |
3. slang. (See
quots.)
| 1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour II. 34 A ‘lick-up’ is a boot or shoe re-lasted.., and the bottom covered with a ‘smother’. Ibid., This ‘smother’ is obtained from the dust of the room. |
4. Rugby Football. A high tackle in which the player ‘smothers’ (sense 3 d) his opponent. In full
smother-tackle.
| 1927 Wakefield & Marshall Rugger iv. 248 Hoping.. that by the swiftness of your advance you may get him in a smother-tackle, taking both man and ball. 1929 Illustr. Sporting & Dramatic News 19 Oct. 183 (caption) Getting the ball away from a smother. 1960 E. S. & W. J. Higham High Speed Rugby v. 48 The Smother Tackle. This tackle is a high tackle and is used when you want to prevent a player from passing or touching down. |
5. Comb., as
smother-burned,
smother-dangled.
| 1597 Pilgr. Parnassus i. 87 Those Amorettoes that doe spend theire time In comminge of their smother-dangled heyre. 1849 Johnston Exp. Agric. 265 Such burned sulphury shales (smother burned) may be tried with advantage. |
▪ II. smother, v. (
ˈsmʌðə(r))
Forms: α.
smeorðren, 5
smorther. β. 3
smoðren, 5–
smother, 6
smowther, 6–7
smouther, 6–8
smoother, 7
smuther. γ. 6
smoder, 6–7, 9
dial. smudder.
[f. smother n.] I. trans. 1. a. To suffocate with smoke.
| a 1200– [see smothering ppl. a. 1]. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 220 b, They were smothered with smoke and burnt all. 1579 Walsingham in Victoria Co. Hist., Surrey (1902) I. 391 A fyre made..by hunters that had earthed a badger, and thought to have smouthered him. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia (1629) 85 But the poore Salvage..was so smoothered with the smoake he had made..that we found him dead. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 496 The House, which was by this time all of a light Flame, fell in upon them, and they were smothered or burnt together. 1848 Bartlett Dict. Amer. 314 That the inky stream may smother or drive away mosquitoes. |
| fig. 1589 Pappe w. Hatchet To Rdr., With the verie smoke the consciences of diuers are smothered. a 1704 T. Brown Sat. Persius imit. Wks. 1730 I. 54 By the thick fogs, which from his diet rise, His sense is smothered. 1944 [see blanket n. 2 c]. |
b. To suffocate by the prevention of breathing; to deprive of life by suffocation. (Freq. in passive without implication of personal agency.) Also
spec. of sheep, to suffocate others by falling on top of them, as during a round-up; to cause (sheep) to die in this manner (
N.Z.).
| a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII, 55 [Certain criminals] the same Richarde Hun feloniously strangeled and smodered. 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 51 The thirde was smothered in the water. 1665 Manley tr. Grotius' Low C. Wars 221 They that escaped slaughter..were smother'd in the Mud. 1713 Addison Cato ii. vi, The helpless traveller..smother'd in the dusty whirlwind dies. 1745 Pococke Descr. East II. i. vi. 27 Being surrounded, and almost smothered by the crowd. 1819 Shelley Cenci ii. i. 143 How just it were to..smother me when overcome by wine. 1864 M. E. Braddon Aurora Floyd xviii, What does the chap in the play get for his trouble when the blackamoor smothers his wife? 1871 M. A. Barker Christmas Cake in Four Quarters iv. iii. 290, I had to bring 'em [sc. the mob of sheep] down uncommon easy, for it was a nasty place, and I didn't want half of 'em to be smothered in the creek. 1930 L. G. D. Acland Early Canterbury Runs 1st Ser. vi. 128 They once smothered 5000 in the gully. a 1948 ― Ibid. (1951) 397 Run sheep..are very easy to s[mother] on broken hill ground... They s[mothere]d 1,200 once..at Mount Peel. |
| fig. 1742 Young Nt. Th. i. 147 Is it in the flight of three⁓score years, To..smother souls immortal in the dust? 1781 Cowper Truth 316 He begs their flatt'ry,..And, smother'd in't at last, is prais'd to death! ? 1813 Shelley Falsehood & Vice 50 She smothered Reason's babes in their birth. 1897 M. Kingsley W. Africa 472, I therefore used to smother those twins by leading the conversation off. |
| absol. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam vi. xlix, I am Pestilence... I flit about, that I may slay and smother. |
c. Used hyperbolically to denote an effusive welcome, etc., or the gaining of a complete or overwhelming victory.
| (a) 1676 Wycherley Pl. Dealer iv. i, She..smothered me with a thousand tasteless kisses. 1873 Holland A. Bonnicastle v. 98 In a moment I was smothered with welcome. |
| (b) 1890 Pall Mall G. 1 Dec. 1/3 If there is one club more than another which Notts County would care to smother it is Aston Villa. 1900 Westm. Gaz. 30 Mar. 2/2 They have simply smothered every scratch that has rowed against them. |
2. † a. To conceal by keeping silent about; to suppress all mention of, to hush up (a matter, etc.).
Obs. (Now with
up: see 6 a.)
| 1579 W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love 70 b, I lyke not to smother sinnes. 1591 Greene Maidens Dr. ix, Bribes could not make him any wrong to smother. 1642 Gauden 3 Serm. 48 As much as we defalk or smother of an inquired Truth. 1699 Bentley Phalaris 203 Somebody's artifice in suppressing and smothering what he thinks makes against him. 1704 Hearne Ductor Hist. (1714) I. 344 Great Care has been taken to smoother his Name, but Theopompus..tells us, he was called Erostratus. 1752 Young Brothers i. i, [Her story was] Smother'd by the king; And wisely too. |
b. To cover up, so as to conceal or cause to be forgotten.
| c 1585 Faire Em i. 295 Where neither envious eyes nor thought can pierce, But endless darkness ever smother it. 1613 Jackson Creed ii. 357 It was in their hearts, though hid and smothered in the wrinkles of their crooked hearts. 1643 Baker Chron., Eliz. 120 Richard Hooker,..who with too much meeknesse smoothered his great Learning. 1722 Steele Conscious Lovers i. ii, I am afraid..there's some⁓thing I don't see yet, something that's smother'd under all this Raillery. 1863 Kinglake Crimea (1876) I. vii. 100 So he began to turn this way and that, in order that by turmoil he might smother the past. |
c. To repress, retain from displaying, (feeling, etc.) by the exercise of self-control.
| 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iv. i. 110 Your priuate grudge my Lord of York, will out, Though ne'er so cunningly you smother it. 1593 ― Lucr. Argt., Smoothering his passions for the present, [he] departed with the rest. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia iii. iii. 52 Smothering his distast to avoyd the Saluages suspition. 1662 J. Davies tr. Mandelslo's Trav. 245 The Gentleman..was a little troubled at it, but smother'd his indignation. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 263 ¶6 Both your Sisters are crying to see the Passion which I smother. 1813 Shelley Q. Mab iii. 43 Smothering the glow of shame. 1847 Prescott Peru iii. vii. (1850) II. 190 Almagro..had seemed willing to smother his ancient feelings of resentment towards his associate. 1891 E. Peacock N. Brendon II. 101 She smothered her own grief. |
3. a. To cover up so as to prevent from having free play or development; to suppress or check in this way.
| 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iii. ii. 35 My earthie grosse conceit: Smothred in errors. 1605 ― Macb. i. iii. 141 Function is smother'd in surmise. 1650 H. More Observ. in Enthus. Tri., etc. (1656) 108 You..by your slubbering and barbarous translating..smother the fitnesse of the Sense. 1762 Cowper To Miss Macartney 7 Dwells there a wish..To smother in ignoble rest At once both bliss and woe? 1780 Mirror No. 71, These exertions..would soon have been smothered by cold political prudence. 1823 Scott Quentin D. xxiv, Ridicule..often checks what is absurd, and fully as often smothers that which is noble. 1843 R. J. Graves Lect. Clin. Med. 371 You may smother the disease while it is merely local. 1882 W. Ballantine Exper. i. 9 Ability..smothered by pomposity and vulgar pride. |
b. To prevent (words, etc.) from having full utterance; to render indistinct or silent.
| 1601 Holland Pliny I. 164 The fore-teeth..yeeld a distinction and varietie in our words,..drawing them out at length, or smuddering and drowning them in the end. 1797–1809 Coleridge Three Graves iv. xiv, No power Had she the words to smother. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 161 Contented she smother'd her sighs on his breast. 1832 Brewster Nat. Magic vii. 176 Suddenly the voice seemed smothered. |
c. To stop (a cricket ball) by placing the bat more or less over it. Also in
Assoc. Football (see
quot. 1954).
| 1845 N. Wanostrocht Felix on Bat i. iv. 18 Should it be pitched an inch too far, be sure to get well out at it, and smother it. 1889 Boy's Own Paper 4 May 496 How the twists should smothered be Before they reach the middle stump. 1954 F. C. Avis Soccer Dict. 112 Smother, to put oneself in the way of an opponent's shot, especially by the goalkeeper advancing from his goal towards the opponent. 1976 Northumberland Gaz. 26 Nov., His shot was smothered as the final whistle went. |
d. Rugby Football. To tackle with a bear-like hug embracing the body and arms, preventing one's opponent from releasing the ball or touching it down.
| 1920 W. Camp Football without a Coach vii. 132 Unless experience shows that there is a certain definite play to watch or a certain player to smother. 1928 Sunday Times 5 Feb. 24/7 He kicked well ahead on the slippery turf, and after Hunt had smothered the full-back, scored. |
4. a. To deaden or extinguish (fire, etc.) by covering so as to exclude the air; to cause to smoulder. Also
fig.| a 1591 H. Smith Serm. (1637) 727 Many have smothered their light so long that the dampe hath put out the candle. 1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. xiii. 61 Smother the fire with wet cloathes. 1657 Austen Fruit Trees ii. 143 Heat pent up and smoothered for a time. 1758 Reid tr. Macquer's Chym. I. 141 If care be taken to smother them, so as to prevent their flaming while they burn. 1787 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 322 A fire, which, though smothered of necessity for the present moment, will probably never be quenched but by signal revenge. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. iv. iv, A fiery fuliginous mass, which could not be choked and smothered, but would fill all France with smoke. 1856 Kane Arctic Expl. I. xxxii. 444, I succeeded in smothering the fire. |
b. To cook in a close vessel. (
Cf. smore v. 4.)
| 1706–7 Farquhar Beaux' Strat. i. i, They'll eat much better smothered with onions. 1748– [see smothered 3]. |
5. To cover up, cover over, densely or thickly by some thing or substance. (Common in recent use.)
| 1598 E. Guilpin Skial. (1878) 21 To..shew good legs, spite of slops smothering thies. 1840 R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxxi. 113 In a few minutes the sails [were] smothered and kept in by clewlines and buntlines. 1851 Mayhew Lond. Lab. II. 34/2 When dry and finished, we take what is called a ‘soft-heel-ball’ and ‘smother’ it over. 1872 Black Adv. Phaeton xxi. 297 The small stations we passed were smothered in green foliage. |
6. With
up:
a. To conceal, suppress, hush up (a matter, etc.).
Cf. sense 2 a.
| 1589 Pappe w. Hatchet B iv b, Hee woulde not smoother vp sinne, and deale in hugger mugger against his Conscience. 1649 Milton Eikon. ix. Wks. 1851 III. 401 The suspected Poysoning of his Father, not inquir'd into, but smother'd up. 1687 Miége Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., The Business was smothered up. 1827 Scott Surg. Dau. Pref., It was thought best to smother it up at the time. 1883 Stevenson Treas. Isl. xiii, He's as anxious as you and I to smother things up. |
b. To cover up in a close, dense, or suffocating manner, etc.
| c 1590 Greene Fr. Bacon xiv, A nunne?.. Twere injurie to me, To smother up such bewtie in a cell. 1592 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 1035 And there [the snail] all smother'd up, in shade doth sit. 1631 Gouge God's Arrows iv. §13. 391 This fire..lay..smothered up. 1644 J. Fary God's Severity (1645) 23 The Lords wrath lies long smothered up, but at last it kindles. 1820 Keats Hyperion i. 106, I am smother'd up, And buried from all godlike exercise. |
7. With
down,
out (see
quots.).
rare.
| 1632 Lithgow Trav. viii. 371 The..ingeniosity of their best styles..is ecclipsed, and smothered downe. 1863 Gardener's Chron. 23 May 493 The next year it may be noticed that the wished for crop has been smothered out. |
II. intr. 8. To be suffocated or stifled; to be prevented from breathing freely by smoke or other means.
| c 1520 Everyman 796 What, sholde I smoder here? 1648 Hexham ii, Ick Smoore van den roock, I Smoother with the smoake, or, I am Choaked with the Vapour. 1871 B. Taylor Faust v. iv. (1875) II. 283 Ah, the good old father, mother, Doomed among the smoke to smother. 1895 Cent. Mag. Aug. 628/2 One opinion was that he would not go into his hole because he was too hot and would smother. |
9. a. To smoulder; to burn slowly. Now
dial.| 1600 Surflet Countrie Farme 558 Set on fire a quantitie of haye, after quench it againe by and by,..and whiles it is smoothering and smoaking, spread it vpon a plate of iron. 1667 Pepys Diary 29 July, The fire..lies smothering a great while..before it flames. 1729 G. Adams tr. Sophocles, Antig. iv. i. II. 56 The Fire shone not from the Sacrifices, but in the Ashes the Flame smothered. 1804 Naval Chron. XI. 79 She will burn and smother to the Water's edge. 1825 E. Hewlett Cottage Comforts vi. 42 Let the fire be banked up..with turves, which will smother on for hours. 1881– in dialect use (Notts., Leic., Warw.). |
b. fig. or in
fig. context.
| 1579 L. Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 447/1 He will not haue our sinns couered, and lie smothering so, y{supt} they may not be knowen. 1588 Greene Pandosto (1607) 4 These..thoughts a long time smothering in his stomacke, began at last to kindle..a secret mistrust. 1621 Lady M. Wroth Urania 357 Heere began the harme to smother like wet hay in fire. 1679 Mansell Narr. Popish Plot 5 When their old animosity did yet smoother. 1697 Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. ii. (1709) 65 A Man had better talk to a Post, than let his Thoughts lie Smoking and Smothering in his Head. |
c. To die
out in smoulder.
rare—1.
| 1621 T. Williamson tr. Goulart's Wise Vieillard 63 The heate of passions in youth beginning to coole and smoother out in old men. |
10. Of smoke: To escape slowly.
| 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 262 We saw a smoke indeed in the house, rather than coming out of it; and the little that did, smothered through a hole in the roof instead of a chimney. |
11. Boxing. (See
quot. 1954.)
| 1916 [see infight v. 2]. 1954 F. C. Avis Boxing Dict. 103 Smother, to prevent, by clever positioning of the arms, the development of an opponent's attack. |
Hence
ˈsmotherable a., that may be smothered.
| 1824 Blackw. Mag. XVI. 664 A woman who is not over fastidious in all her personal arrangements..is to me the most justifiably smotherable. |