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smile

n. · v.
US //ˈsmaɪɫ// UK //smˈaɪl// smile
  1. 1 facial expression (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    the expression you make by turning up the corners of your mouth to show you are happy or friendly.

    a facial expression formed by flexing the muscles at the ends of the mouth, typically indicating pleasure, amusement, or sociability.

    Example

    She had a big smile on her face when she saw her old friend.

    Example

    A faint smile played across his lips as he recalled the humorous events of the previous evening.
  2. 2 to make a smile (v.)
    A1 Beginner

    to move the corners of your mouth upwards because you are happy or think something is funny.

    to form a smile on the face; used both intransitively and transitively to express a specific emotion.

    Example

    The baby smiled at his mother for the first time today.

    Example

    The receptionist smiled warmly at the guests, immediately putting them at ease after their long journey.
    Pitfall
    She smiled to me.
    She smiled at me.

    When you direct a smile toward a person, use the preposition 'at'.

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  1. 3 to be favourable (v.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    to be lucky or to have things go well for you.

    to be propitious or favourable toward someone; often used with 'on' or 'upon'.

    Example

    Fortune finally smiled on him, and he won the competition.

    Example

    It seemed as though fate had smiled upon their venture, providing perfect weather and unexpected financial backing just when it was needed most.

    Usage

    Usually takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.
Origin

From Middle English smilen (“to smile”), from Middle Low German smîlen (“to smile”), from Middle High German smielen, from Old High German smielēn, from Proto-West Germanic smīlēn, from Proto-Germanic smīlāną (“to smile”), from Proto-Indo-European smey- (“to laugh, be glad, wonder”). Cognate with Danish smile, Swedish smila, Faroese smíla (“to smile”); also Saterland Frisian smielje (“to smile”), Low German smielen (“to smile”), Dutch smuilen (“to smile”), Middle High German smielen (“to smile”). Related also to Old High German smierōn (“to smile”), Old English smerian (“to laugh at”), Old English smercian, smearcian ("to smile"; > English smirk), Latin mīror (“to wonder at”).

Word family
Idioms5 entries

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