smoothness
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smooth
(smo͞oth)adj. smooth·er, smooth·est
1.
a. Having a surface free from irregularities, roughness, or projections; even. See Synonyms at level.
b. Free from waves or disturbances; calm: The lake is smooth today.
2.
a. Free from hair, whiskers, or stubble: felt his smooth cheek after the close shave.
b. Having a short dense flat coat. Used of dogs.
3.
a. Having a fine texture: a smooth fabric.
b. Having an even consistency: a smooth pudding.
c. Having an even or gentle motion or movement: a smooth ride.
4. Having no obstructions or difficulties: a smooth operation; a smooth trip.
5. Easy-going; serene: a smooth temperament.
6. Not sharp or bitter in taste: a smooth wine.
7. Delicately pleasing to the ear; not harsh or grating: a smooth voice.
8. Ingratiatingly polite and agreeable: known for his smooth remarks.
v. smoothed, smooth·ing, smoothes
v.tr.
1. To make (something) even, level, or unwrinkled: smoothed the fabric with an iron.
2. To rid of obstructions, hindrances, or difficulties: a real estate agent who smoothed the process of applying for a mortgage.
3. To soothe or tranquilize; make calm: The president tried to smooth over the hurt feelings of the disputing factions.
4. To cause to appear less harsh or severe than is the case: Don't try to smooth over their faults.
v.intr.
To become smooth.
n.
1. The act of smoothing.
2. A smooth surface or part.
[Middle English smothe, from Old English smōth.]
smooth′er n.
smooth′ly adv.
smooth′ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Smoothness
- (The syllables) flow like wind on water —T. Coraghessan Boyle
- Glib as an auctioneer —James Crumley
- Go down like milk and molasses —Russell Baker
- Goes down like chopped hay —John Ray’s Proverbs
- It [a drink] was about as smooth as a rusty hacksaw —Harold Adams
- (Cold,) polished as a marble column —Honoré de Balzac
Balzac’s description deftly characterizes Gosbeck, the main character in a short novel by that name.
- Sleek and pretty as a new dime —Borden Deal
See Also: BEAUTY
- (Her breasts protruded from the suds wet and) sleek as seals —Jean Thompson
- Slick as a button —American colloquialism
Unlike “Smooth as glass” or “Smooth as alabaster” which usually describe texture, this generally applies to something easily done. Other widely used variations to describe a glib, shrewd person are “Slick as an eel” and “Slick as grease.”
- Slick as a cake of soap —Charles Wright
- Slick as a pig —R. Wright Campbell
- (Would make my life as) slick as a sonnet —Tallulah Bankhead
- Slick as spit —James Lee Burke
- Slick as a water snake —George Garrett
- [Wet streets] slick as black satin —Paige Mitchell
- Slick as black marble —Donald McCaig
- [An icy roof] slick as cake icing —Davis Grubb
- Slick as nail polish —Rosellen Brown
- Slick as snot —Jonathan Kellerman
- Slick as water —Terry Bisson
- (Her glasses were) slippery as icicles —Cynthia Ozick
- Smooth as a carpet —John Ray’s Proverbs
Still widely used … or as one might say “Popular and enduring as a John Ray proverb.”
- Smooth as a kitten’s ear —Slogan, Hammond Cedar Company
- Smooth as a phantom —John Betjeman
- (His movement was as) smooth as a ripple of water —Raymond Chandler
- Smooth as a sage —Lawrence Durrell
- (Her mind, clear and as) smooth as a sea stone beaten by the waves and elements for a millenium —Charles Johnson
- Smooth as a suburbanized television professor —Harvey Swados
- Smooth as corn syrup —Helen Hudson
- (Her skin was as) smooth as glass —English ballad
Probably one of the most frequently used “Smooth as” comparisons, with ‘slick’ and ‘smooth’ often used interchangeably, as in “The frozen lake was slick as a mirror,” found in Mark Helprin’s short story, Ellis Island.
- Smooth as marbles —Anon
- (Voice) smooth as mink oil —Linda Barnes
- Smooth as monumental alabaster —William Shakespeare
- Smooth as oil —William Shakespeare
- (The sea was) smooth as pewter plate —Mazo De La Roche
- Smooth as pine-nuts —Suzanne E. Berger
- (Works as) smooth as sand running through an hour glass —William Diehl
- (Glasses) smooth as sea-washed stones —Ann Beattie
- (Cheeks) smooth as silk —Juvenal
Though first used to describe complexion, the simile was expanded to broader use by O. Henry when he wrote “Everything goes smooth as silk.”
- Smooth as skin in oil —Reynolds Price
- (The fellow was) smooth as soap —Jessamyn West
- (Skin) smooth as stones on the shore —Mary Morris
- Smooth as the inner lips of a shell —Sharon Olds
The shell comparison is used by poet Olds to describe the reddened, sun-swollen lips of the author’s daughter.
- Smooth as the nose of a moth —Karl Shapiro
- Smooth as the road to ruin —Anon
- (He shrugged and rolled up his sleeves. Both forearms were as) unmarked as a baby’s bottom —Jonathan Valin
- Worn smooth and slick as a chewed bone —George Garrett
- Worn smooth as a tiger’s eye —Sharon Sheehe Stark
Similes Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1988 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun 1. smoothness - a texture without roughness; smooth to the touch; "admiring the slim smoothness of her thighs"; "some artists prefer the smoothness of a board"
texture - the feel of a surface or a fabric; "the wall had a smooth texture"
slick, slipperiness, slickness, slip - a slippery smoothness; "he could feel the slickness of the tiller"
powderiness, fineness - having a very fine texture; "the fineness of the sand on the beach"
raggedness, roughness - a texture of a surface or edge that is not smooth but is irregular and uneven
2. smoothness - powerful and effective language; "his eloquence attracted a large congregation"; "fluency in spoken and written English is essential"; "his oily smoothness concealed his guilt from the police"
expressive style, style - a way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person or group of people or period; "all the reporters were expected to adopt the style of the newspaper"
3. smoothness - the quality of being bland and gracious or ingratiating in manner
graciousness - excellence of manners or social conduct
4. smoothness - the quality of having a level and even surface; "the water was a glassy smoothness"; "the weather system of the Pacific is determined by the uninterrupted smoothness of the ocean"
invariability, evenness - a quality of uniformity and lack of variation
5. smoothness - the quality of being free from errors or interruptions; "the five-speed manual gearbox is smoothness personified"
effortlessness - the quality of requiring little effort; "such effortlessness is achieved only after hours of practice"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
smoothness
noun
1. evenness, regularity, levelness, flushness, unbrokenness The lawn was rich, weed-free, and trimmed to smoothness.
2. fluency, finish, flow, ease, polish, rhythm, efficiency, felicity, smooth running, slickness, effortlessness the strength and smoothness of his movements
3. ease, simplicity, straightforwardness, effortlessness, easiness the smoothness of the procedure
4. sleekness, softness, smooth texture, silkiness, velvetiness the smoothness of her skin
5. suavity, urbanity, oiliness, glibness, smarminess (Brit. informal) His cleverness, smoothness even, made his relationships uneasy.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
نُعومَه
hladkost
gnidningsløs afvikling
sléttleiki; mÿkt
kolaylık pürüzsüzlükrahatlık
smoothness
[ˈsmuːðnɪs] N3. [of sea, lake] → tranquilidad f, calma f
4. [of paste, sauce] → homogeneidad f
5. [of landing] → la suavidad, lo suave ; [of flight, crossing, journey] → lo poco accidentado
6. (= ease) [of transition, takeover] → lo poco conflictivo
7. [of flavour, whisky, cigar, voice, sound] → suavidad f
8. [of style, prose] → fluidez f
9. (pej) [of person, manners] → zalamería f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
smoothness
[ˈsmuːðnɪs] nCollins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
smoothness
n
(of texture etc) → Glätte f; (of sea) → Ruhe f; (of road, surface) → Ebenheit f; (of skin) → Glätte f, → Weichheit f; it has the smoothness of silk → es ist seidenweich
(in consistency) (of paste) → Sämigkeit f; (of sauce) → Glätte f
(of motion, flight, crossing) → Ruhe f; (of gear change) → Weichheit f; (of takeoff, landing) → Sanftheit f; (of breathing, flow) → Gleichmäßigkeit f; (of fit) → Genauigkeit f
(= ease: of transition, functioning, relations) → Reibungslosigkeit f
(of style of writing, diction) → Flüssigkeit f; (of tones) → Sanftheit f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
smoothness
[ˈsmuːðnɪs] n (of stone, wood) → levigatezza; (of skin) → morbidezza ; (of sauce) → omogeneità ; (of sea) → calma ; (of trip, life) → tranquillità ; (of manner) → mellifluitàCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
smooth
(smuːð) adjective1. having an even surface; not rough. Her skin is as smooth as satin. glad أمْلَس гладък macio hladký glatt glat; jævn λείος liso sile صاف sileä lisse חלק चिकना, मसृण gladak, mekan sima halus sléttur liscio なめらかな 매끄러운 švelnus, glotnus gluds; līdzens licin glad glatt, myk gładki ښوى، ميين، هوار: پوست، نرم: بي تكليفه، اسان: خوندور: روان (لكه عبارت macio neted; fără riduri гладкий hladký gladek gladak slät, jämn, len, mjuk เรียบ pürüzsüz, düz 光滑的 гладенький, рівний ہموار nhẵn, trơn, mượt 光滑的
2. without lumps. Mix the ingredients to a smooth paste. glad, egalig ناعِم، بدون كُتَل равен liso jemný glatt klumpfri στρωτός, ομαλός homogéneo ühtlane صيقلي tasainen onctueux לְלא גוּשִׁים गाढ़ा ravan, gladak sima tanpa gumpalan kekkjalaus omogeneo むらのない 잘 개어진 lygus viendabīgs; (par mīklu) bez kunkuļiem tanpa gumpalan glad jevn, glatt jednolity نرم homogéneo omogen однородный jemný gladek gladak jämn ราบรื่น topaksız 調勻的 однорідний بغیرگٹھل یا پھٹکیوں کے mịn, mượt 调匀的
3. (of movement) without breaks, stops or jolts. Did you have a smooth flight from New York? voorspoedig مُنْتَظَم، بدون إرتِجاجات плавен tranquilo klidný ruhig rolig ομαλός tranquilo, en calma sujuv, (vahe)peatusteta بدون اصطكاك sulava confortable חלק बिना रुके miran, bez zapinjanja zavartalan mulus þægilegur tranquillo 平穏な 중단 없이 원활한 ramus, sklandus mierīgs; rāms lancar vlot rolig spokojny, gładki هوار tranquilo confortabil плавный; спокойный pokojný miren ugodan lugn, stilla, jämn ไม่มีหยุด sarsıntısız, rahat 平穩的 плавний; спокійний بغیر رکاوٹ bay thẳng 平稳的
4. without problems or difficulties. a smooth journey; His progress towards promotion was smooth and rapid. vinnig سَلِس، بِدون مَشاكِل спокоен fácil příjemný, klidný; hladký glatt let ομαλός, αδιατάρακτος sin problemas/inconvenientes ladus بي دردسر ongelmaton sans problèmes/histoires חלק बिना किसी दिक्कत के koji glatko teče zavartalan tanpa halangan hnökralaus, fyrirhafnarlaus facile; tranquillo 順調な 문제 없이, 어려움 없이 sėkmingas, sklandus bez grūtībām tiada halangan vlot lett, myk gładki بي تكليفه fácil fără probleme приятный; плавный príjemný; hladký miren gladak friktionsfri ไม่มีปัญหา rahat, sorunsuz 順利的 безпроблемний; гладенький بغیر دشواریوں کے êm thấm, suôn sẻ 顺利的
5. (too) agreeable and pleasant in manner etc. I don't trust those smooth salesmen. gladdebekagtig مَعْسول الكَلام лицемерен suave úlisný glatt glat; slikket αβρός, γλυκομίλητος zalamero, meloso libe(keelne) ملايم lipevä mielleux חלקלק ज्यादा मधुर स्वभाव वाला laskav, sladak hízelgő terlalu licin sléttmáll, ísmeygilegur sdolcinato, mellifluo 調子のよい 유창한 meilikaujantis, perdėm mandagus pārlaipns; pieglaimīgs terlalu licin glad glatt, veltalende, slesk gładki, ugrzeczniony نرم suave mieros вкрадчивый úlisný meden uglađen inställsam, hal อ่อนโยน aşırı nazik 迎合討好的 улесливий; солодкомовний شائستہ ngọt xớt, dẻo mồm 迎合讨好的
verb1. (often with down, ~out etc) to make (something) smooth or flat. She tried to smooth the creases out. gladstryk يَصْقُل، يُمَلِّس изглаждам alisar (u)hladit glätten glatte ud ισιώνω, στρώνω alisar siluma صاف كردن tasoittaa défroisser לְהַחֲלִיק चिकना बनाना izgladiti, glačati (le)simít menghaluskan slétta, strauja appianare なめらかにする 매끈하게 하다 išlyginti izgludināt; nogludināt menghaluskan gladmaken glatte gładzić صاف کول alisar a netezi приглаживать, разглаживать vyrovnať, narovnať izgladiti izgladiti jämna till, släta ut ทําให้แบน düzeltmek 把...弄平 згладжувати, вирівнювати ہموار بنانا làm cho nhẵn, làm phẳng 把...弄平
2. (with into or over). to rub (a liquid substance etc) gently over (a surface): Smooth the moisturizing cream into/over your face and neck. vryf يَدْهَن، يَمْسَح намазвам espalhar roztírat, vtírat einmassieren gnide απλώνω, τρίβω απαλά esparcir (kergelt) hõõruma ماليدن levittää faire pénétrer en massant לְהַחֲלִיק एक समान लेप करना utrljati elsimít, beken menggosokkan bera á stendere のばす (액체 크림 등을) 부드럽게 문질러 바르다 įtrinti ierīvēt; vienmērīgi uzziest menggosokkan uitsmeren smøre utover trzeć موښل espalhar a face să pătrundă втирать roztierať, vtierať nanesti utrljati gnida in ลูบไล้ sürmek 把(液體物質等)輕輕擦在...表面 змащувати, мастити کسی سیال کو سطح پر رگڑ کر چکنا بنانا lau, chùi nhẹ nhàng 把(液体物质等)轻轻擦在...表面
ˈsmoothen verb to make smooth. gladmaak يُمَلِّس заглаждам amaciar uhladit glätten glatte; jævne εξομαλύνω alisar tasandama آرام كردن tasoittaa aplanir לְהַחֲלִיק चिकना बनाना izgladiti, izravnati simít menghaluskan slétta appianare なめらかにする 평평(매끈)하게 하다 išlyginti nogludināt; izlīdzināt menghaluskan gladmaken glatte, jevne wygładzić آرام کول amaciar a aplana разглаживать uhladiť poravnati izgladiti jämna ทําให้เรียบ düzlemek 使平滑 згладжувати, вирівнювати چکنا کرنا làm cho thành trơn, phẳng 使平滑
ˈsmoothly adverbThe plane landed smoothly; The meeting went very smoothly. voorspoedig بِنُعومَه، بِصورةٍ مَلْساء гладко suavemente hladce glatt let ομαλά, απαλά suavemente sujuvalt, rahulikult به آرامي tasaisesti en douceur בְּאוֹפֶן חָלָק आसानी से, सहज में glatko simán dengan mulus mjúklega, snurðulaust tranquillamente, facilmente なめらかに 부드럽게, 원활하게 sėkmingai, sklandžiai sekmīgi; gludi; labi dengan lancar glad, vlot mykt, glatt, uten problem gładko, równo, spokojnie په ښوى والى، په نرمۍ suavemente fără piedici плавно, гладко hladko gladko glatko jämnt, mjukt อย่าราบเรียบ kolayca, rahatça; pürüzsüzce 平穩地,順利地 рівно, гладко بغیر جھٹکے وغیرہ کے một cách êm ả, trôi chảy 平稳地,顺利地
ˈsmoothness noun gladheid نُعومَه гладкост suavidade hladkost die Glätte gnidningsløs afvikling ομαλότητα lisura siledus آرامش tasaisuus égalité; douceur חָלַקוּת चिकनापन glatkoća simaság kehalusan sléttleiki; mÿkt facilità; dolcezza なめらかさ 매끄러움, 부드러움, 원활함 sėkmė gludums kelancaran gladheid, vlotheid glatthet, mykhet gładkość ښوى والى، هواروالى lisura regularitate; netezime гладкость hladkosť gladkost glatkost jämnhet ความราบเรียบ kolaylık, rahatlık; pürüzsüzlük 平滑 гладкість, однорідність ہمواری، صفائی، درستی sự trôi chảy, êm thấm 平滑
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