smooth
Pronunciation: (sm), [key]
— adj., adv., v., n. -er, -est,
—adj.
- free from projections or unevenness of surface; not rough: smooth wood; a smooth road.
- generally flat or unruffled, as a calm sea.
- free from hairs or a hairy growth: a smooth cheek.
- of uniform consistency; free from lumps, as a batter, sauce, etc.
- free from or proceeding without abrupt curves, bends, etc.: a smooth ride.
- allowing or having an even, uninterrupted movement or flow: smooth driving.
- easy and uniform, as motion or the working of a machine.
- having projections worn away: a smooth tire casing.
- free from hindrances or difficulties: a smooth day at the office.
- noting a metal file having the minimum commercial grade of coarseness for a single-cut file. Cf.
- undisturbed, tranquil, or equable, as the feelings, temper, etc.; serene: a smooth disposition.
- elegant, easy, or polished: smooth manners.
- ingratiatingly polite or suave: That salesman is a smooth talker.
- free from harshness, sharpness, or bite; bland or mellow, as cheese or wine.
- not harsh to the ear, as sound: the smooth music of a ballroom dance band.
- without aspiration.
—adv.
- in a smooth manner; smoothly.
—v.t.
- to make smooth of surface, as by scraping, planing, or pressing.
- to remove (projections, ridges, wrinkles, etc.) in making something smooth (often fol. by away or out).
- to free from difficulties.
- to remove (obstacles) from a path (often fol. by away).
- to make more polished, elegant, or agreeable, as wording or manners.
- to tranquilize, calm, or soothe (a person, the feelings, etc.).
- to simplify (an expression) by substituting approximate or certain known values for the variables.
- to make seem less severe, disagreeable, or irreconcilable; allay; mitigate: He smoothed over my disappointment with kind words.
—n.
- act of smoothing: She adjusted the folds with a smooth of her hand.
- something that is smooth; a smooth part or place: through the rough and the smooth.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.