Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Language: Old English
Origin: smeoru 'fatty material'

smear

1 noun
     
Related topics: Hospital
smear1 [countable]
1 a dirty mark made by a small amount of something spread across a surface
smear of
a smear of paint
It left a black smear on his arm.
2MH British English a smear test
3 an untrue story about a politician or other important person that is told in order to make people lose respect for them - used especially in newspapers
—smeary adjective:
a smeary glass
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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