Definition of "smile"

smile

/ˈsmaɪl/

noun
plural smiles
1. A facial expression comprised by flexing the muscles of both ends of one's mouth, often showing the front teeth, without vocalisation, and in humans is a common involuntary or voluntary expression of happiness, pleasure, amusement, goodwill, or anxiety.
  Quotations
  Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. […] She looked around expectantly, and recognizing Mrs. Cooke's maid […] Miss Thorn greeted her with a smile which greatly prepossessed us in her favor.
  1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd.
  Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile; he could not tell what this prisoner might do.
  1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company
2. (figurative) Favour; propitious regard.
3. (slang, dated) A drink bought by one person for another.
verb
third-person singular simple present smiles, present participle smiling, simple past and past participle smiled
1. (transitive, intransitive) To have (a smile) on one's face.
  Quotations
  “ […] This is Mr. Churchill, who, as you are aware, is good enough to come to us for his diaconate, and, as we hope, for much longer; and being a gentleman of independent means, he declines to take any payment.” Saying this Walden rubbed his hands together and smiled contentedly.
  1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company
  Once I was a young man / And all I thought I had to do was smile
  1969, Mike d'Abo (lyrics and music), “Handbags & Gladrags”, performed by Rod Stewart
  If a man smiles all the time he's probably selling something that doesn't work.
  1997, George Carlin, Brain Droppings‎, New York: Hyperion Books, page 70
  She adds: "We have two mottos at Kingston which we've stuck to the window in the ticket office. One says 'If you can be anything in the world then be kind', while the other reads: 'Smile while you've still got teeth'.
  2019 December 18, Paul Stephen, “This is the best job I've ever had”, in Rail, page 52
2. (transitive) To express by smiling.
  Quotations
  I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town. I was completely mystified at such an unusual proceeding.
  1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd.
3. (intransitive) To express amusement, pleasure, or love and kindness.
  Quotations
  When last I saw thy young blue eyes, they smiled.
  1816, Lord Byron, “Canto III”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. Canto the Third, London: Printed for John Murray, […], stanza I
4. (intransitive) To look cheerful and joyous; to have an appearance suited to excite joy.
  Quotations
  1717, Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717
5. (intransitive) To be propitious or favourable; to countenance.

Definition of "smile"

smile

noun

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verb

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