smudge

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to make a mark messy or blurry by rubbing it.

v. to obscure or blur a mark, drawing, or text by rubbing it; often used for wet ink or charcoal.

“Be careful not to smudge the ink before it is completely dry.”

“The artist used his thumb to smudge the charcoal lines, creating a softer shadow effect along the jawline of the portrait.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to make something dirty by getting marks on it.

v. to soil or stain a surface with a dirty substance.

“The children managed to smudge their clean white shirts with mud.”

“Exhaust fumes from the heavy traffic had begun to smudge the white marble of the historic monument.”

C1 · Advanced Religion Technical

v. to burn dried herbs, like sage, to clean a room or person spiritually with smoke.

v. to perform a ritual cleansing of a space or person by burning dried herbs, typically sage, and spreading the smoke.

“She decided to smudge the new house to clear out any negative energy.”

“The practitioner began to smudge the room with white sage, following a tradition intended to purify the atmosphere before the ceremony.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical · American English

n. a smoky fire used to keep insects away or to protect plants from cold weather.

n. a fire made of damp materials to produce dense smoke, used to repel insects or protect orchards from frost.

“The farmer lit a smudge in the field to keep the mosquitoes away from the cattle.”

“During the unexpected cold snap, the citrus growers maintained a constant smudge to prevent the frost from settling on the delicate blossoms.”