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Webster 1913 Edition


Smug

Smug

,
Adj.
[Of. Scand. or Low German origin; cf. LG.
smuck
, G.
schmuck
, Dan.
smuk
, OSw.
smuck
,
smöck
, and E.
smock
,
smuggle
; cf. G.
schmuck
ornament. See
Smock
.]
Studiously neat or nice, especially in dress; spruce; affectedly precise; smooth and prim.
They be so
smug
and smooth.
Robynson (More’s Utopia).
The
smug
and scanty draperies of his style.
De Quincey.
A young,
smug
, handsome holiness has no fellow.
Beau. & Fl.

Smug

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Smugged
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Smugging
.]
To make smug, or spruce.
[Obs.]
Thus said, he
smugged
his beard, and stroked up fair.
Dryton.

Webster 1828 Edition


Smug

SMUG

,
Adj.
Nice; neat; affectedly nice in dress. [Not in use.]

SMUG

,
Verb.
T.
To make spruce; to dress with affected neatness. [Not in use.]

Definition 2024


smug

smug

English

Adjective

smug (comparative smugger, superlative smuggest)

  1. Irritatingly pleased with oneself, offensively self-complacent. self-satisfied.
    Kate looked extremely smug this morning.
  2. (obsolete) Studiously neat or nice, especially in dress; spruce; affectedly precise; smooth and prim.
    • Robynson (More's Utopia)
      They be so smug and smooth.
    • De Quincey
      the smug and scanty draperies of his style
    • Beaumont and Fletcher
      A young, smug, handsome holiness has no fellow.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

smug (third-person singular simple present smugs, present participle smugging, simple past and past participle smugged)

  1. (obsolete, transitive) To make smug, or spruce.
    • Dryton
      Thus said, he smugged his beard, and stroked up fair.

External links

  • smug in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • smug in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Anagrams


Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From the verb smyge

Alternative forms

  • smau (Nynorsk also)

Noun

smug n (definite singular smuget, indefinite plural smug, definite plural smuga or smugene)

  1. an alley or alleyway (usually for pedestrians)

References