▪ I. smith, n.
(smɪθ)
Forms: 1–3 smið, 4 smiþ, 3– smith, 5 (7) smithe; 2 smyð, 3–4 smyþ, 4–7 smyth (5 smyȝt), 5–6 smythe; 4–5 smeth, 6 Sc. smeith.
[Common Teut.: OE. smið, = OFris. smeth, smid (WFris. and EFris. smid, NFris. smet, smer, smas), MDu. smit (smet), smid (Du. smid), MLG. (and LG.) smid, smed, OHG. smid, smit (MHG. smit, smid-, G. schmied, † schmid), ON. smiðr (Icel. smiður, Norw. smid; MSw. smiþer, smidher, etc., Sw. and Da. smed); Goth. smiþa (in aizasmiþa coppersmith) differs in declension. The relations of the stem are doubtful. The original sense was app. craftsman, skilled worker, in metal, wood, or other material, and this general use still remains in Icelandic.]
1. One who works in iron or other metals; esp. a blacksmith or farrier; a forger, hammerman.
Also freq. as a second element in combs., as black-, copper-, gold-, gun-, iron-, lock-, silver-, tin-, whitesmith.
In the early examples referring to Joseph, the word does not mean ‘carpenter’, but is simply used to render L. faber.
| Beowulf 1452 Swa hine fyrndaᵹum worhte wæpna smið. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xiii. 55 Ah ne ðis is smiðes vel wyrihta sunu? c 1000 ælfric Gramm. xxxvi. 216 Ᵹyf ðu cweðst hic cudo,..ðonne byð hit nama, smið. a 1200 Vices & Virt. 51 He was buhsum ane deadliche manne, Iosepe ðe smiðe. c 1275 Passion our Lord 59 in O.E. Misc., Hi seyden, he is a smyþes sune, ne beo we noht his frend. a 1300 Cursor M. 23238 Als it war dintes on a steþi Þat smythes smittes in a smeþey. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 159 He was a Smith With Jupiter, which in his forge Diverse thinges made him forge. c 1450 Merlin xxiii. 427 The Emperour..sente to seche a smyth to bynde hym in chaynes and feteres. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop iii. xii, The forge of a smythe. 1530 Palsgr. 187 A farrer or a smythe that shoeth horses. 1595 Shakes. John iv. ii. 193, I saw a Smith stand with his hammer (thus) The whilst his Iron did on the Anuile coole. 1657 Baxter Call to Unconverted (1666) 187 Like the Smiths dog, that is brought by custom to sleep under the noise of the hammers. 1704 T. Fuller Med. Gymn. (1711) 49 By incessantly following his Blow, the Smith can bring Heat into his Bar of Iron. 1784 Cowper Task v. 219 The first smith was the first murd'rer's son. 1851 D. Wilson Preh. Ann. (1863) II. iii. ii. 83 The excellence of the ancient Celtic smiths. |
| fig. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iv. i. 237 True, every man is, fortunæ suæ faber, the Smith to beat out his own fortunes. 1687 Dryden Hind & Panther iii. 1268 The Doves repented, tho' too late Become the Smiths of their own Foolish Fate. |
2. a. In special collocations, as
smith's coal,
craft,
dust,
water,
work (see
quots., sense 3,
smithy n. 4, and
smith-work).
| 1578 Lyte Dodoens 175 It groweth..whereas there hath bene myning for Iron and *Smithes cole. 1881 Young Every Man own Mechanic 649 The fuel used is fine coal generally called ‘Smith's coal’ or ‘slack’. |
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 229 Tubalcain fonde first *smythes craft and grauynge. 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iv. 69 A man may say they haue practised smithes craft all their lyfe. 1614 Raleigh Hist. of World i. i. vi. §4 Tubal and Tubalcain (inuentors of pastorage, smiths-craft, and musick). |
| 1568–9 Sarum Churchw. Accs. (Swayne, 1896) 283 Sande and *smythes dust, 2d. 1712 J. James tr. Le Blond's Gardening 33 Smiths-Dust is either the Scales beaten off at the Anvil, or Iron Filings. |
| 1544 T. Phaer Regim. Lyfe (1560) H iiij b, Julep of roses with a litle of *smiths water. 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Ferraria aqua, smithes water in the cole trough wher in they quench yron. 1626 Bacon Sylva §84 Smiths water or other Metalline water. |
| 1714 French Bk. Rates 331 Iron-Axels, Hinges, Axes, and such like *Smiths Work. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. III. 381 Most of the smith's work is taken by weight. |
† b. smith's balm (see
quot.).
Obs. rare.
| 1597 Gerarde Herbal 561 Smithes Bawme, or carpenters Bawme, is most singular to heale vp green wounds..: Dioscorides and Pliny [call]..this kind of Bawme..Iron woort. |
3. attrib., as
smith-shop (chiefly
U.S.: also
smith's shop),
smith-tool; also
† smith-coal, smithy-coal;
† smith-man, an iron-smelter;
smith ore (see
quot.);
† smith-water, smithy water;
† smith-wife, a female smith.
| 1521 Maldon Liber B. fol. 58 (MS.), Due naves onerate cum *Smythcoll. 1645–52 Boate Ireland's Nat. Hist. (1860) 124 In the place where this Mine standeth, do lie little Smith-coals above the ground. |
| 1408 in Eng. Hist. Rev. XIV. 519 In stipendio Johannis Gylle, *smythman alias blomer. |
| 1883 Gresley Gloss. Coal-m. 228 *Smith Ore,..a rich brown hæmatite iron ore. |
| 1651 Early Rec. Dedham, Mass. (1892) III. 179 Whensoever the said shopp shall be no longer vsed for a *smithes shopp.., then it shall be remoued out of the high way. 1710 Rec. Early Hist. Boston (1884) XI. 105 Ordered that complaint be made..against Enoch Greenliefe for making a Smith Shop in his buildings. 1743 W. Ellis Mod. Husbandman Oct. xxii. 236 The Ploughman here has seldom Occasion to go to a Smith's Shop. 1755 New Hampsh. Probate Rec. (1916) III. 705 The Corner where Geo. Warrens Smith Shop Stands. a 1816 B. Hawkins Sk. Creek Country (1848) 30 At the public establishment there is a smith's shop. 1882 Econ. Geol. Illinois III. 150 The coal..is..used in an adjoining smith-shop. 1899 Daily News 17 Nov. 5/2 At last there came a deputation from the boiler-shop and smith-shop. |
| 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. i. i, He sends for his *smith-tools. |
| 1541 Copland Guydon's Form. R iv, [To] be put with *smyth water..tyll it be thycke. |
| 14.. Nom. in Wr.-Wülcker 692 Hec fabrissa, a *smyth wyfe. |
Add:
[1.] b. fig. As the second element in
Combs. One who employs or makes with skill that denoted by the first element, as
finger-smith,
tunesmith,
wordsmith, etc. and other more or less nonce-formations: see at first element or as main entries.
▪ II. smith, v. (
smɪθ)
Forms: α. 1
smiðian, 3
smiðien,
smiþien; 3
smiðie, 4
smythye, 5
-ie; 4–5
smith-,
smyth-, 5
smyþ-, 7–
smith. β. 1
smeoðian, 3
smeodðien, 4–6
smeth-, 5
smeþ-,
smethe.
[Common Teut.: OE. smiðian, smeoðian, = OFris. *smithia (WFris. smeije, EFris. smīthi, NFris. smēde, smēre), MDu. and Du. smeden, MLG. smeden (LG. smêden, smêen), OHG. smidôn (MHG. smiden, G. schmieden, † schmeden), ON. and Icel. smiða (Norw. and Sw. smida, Da. smede), Goth. gasmiþōn, f. the stem of smiþ- smith n. There is little evidence for the word from the 15th to the 19th
cent., and the modern instances may be derived anew from the
n.]
1. trans. To make, construct, or fashion (a weapon, iron implement, etc.) by forging; to forge or smithy.
| c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives iii. 126 He..het him smiðian on smætum golde anre culfran anlicynsse. a 1100 in Napier O.E. Glosses 14/2 Fabricata, smeoþud. c 1205 Lay. 1563 Wa wrðe auer þene smið þa þe mid honden smeodðede [c 1275 smiþede]. a 1225 Ancr. R. 52 Ofte a ful hawur smið smeoðið a ful woc knif. c 1386 Chaucer Miller's T. 576 (Ellesm.), A smyth..That in his forge smythed plough harneys. a 1400–50 Alexander 5515 Þan made he smythis to..smethe him a chaiere. 1483 Cath. Angl. 346/1 To smethe, fabricare, cudere. 1647 Hexham i, To Smith, smeden. 1833 Keightley Fairy Mythol. I. 258 Sigurd took the very best sword That the Dwarfs had ever smithed. |
| fig. a 1225 Ancr. R. 284 Al þes world is Goddes smiððe, uorte smeoðien his icorene. |
b. To fashion articles out of (iron, etc.); to forge or hammer
into an implement.
rare.
| c 1340 Nominale (Skeat) 136 Homme forge fer et quiuere, Man smethuth Irun and copur. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. iii. 305 Alle þat bereth baslarde..Shal be demed to þe deth but if he do it smythye In-to sikul or to sithe. |
c. To deal with by heating and hammering; to hammer or beat (a blade, etc.) on an anvil.
| c 1400 Vis. Tundale (Wagner) 1077 Hem tought, þai were not smethed [v.r. smyþyd] inowe, But throwe a fire efte hem drowe. 1831 Holland Manuf. Metal I. 281 The whole [penknife blade] is then smithed, or smartly hammered after it has ceased to be soft. 1846 Holtzapffel Turning II. 683 The blade..is smithed or hammered, so as to make the saw quite flat. 1851–4 Tomlinson's Cycl. Useful Arts (1867) I. 483/1 After forging, the blade is smithed, or beaten on an anvil. |
2. intr. To work at the forge; to practise smith-work. Also
fig.| c 1205 Lay. 30743 Brien enne smið funde, þe wel cuðe smiðie. a 1300 E.E. Ps. cxxviii. 3 Ouer mi bak smithed sinful ai. a 1340 Hampole Psalter cxxviii. 3 Abouen my bak synful smythid. 1893 Month Feb. 198 Others sail⁓making, carpentering, smithing [etc.]. |
Hence
smithed ppl. a.| 1542–3 Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII, c. 6 Pinnes..shalbe double headed,..wel smethed, the shanke wel shauen. |