Word Study
smite
CIDE DICTIONARY
smite, v. t. [AS. smītan to smite, to soil, pollute; akin to OFries. smīta to smite, LG. smiten, D. smijten, G. schmeissen, OHG. smīzan to smear, stroke, OSw. & dial. Sw. smita to smite, Dan. smide to throw, Goth. bismeitan, to anoint, besmear; cf. Skr. m to be fat. The original sense seems to have been, to daub on, to smear. Cf. Smut.].
- To strike; to inflict a blow upon with the hand, or with any instrument held in the hand, or with a missile thrown by the hand; as, to smite with the fist, with a rod, sword, spear, or stone. [1913 Webster]"Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." [1913 Webster]"And David . . . took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead." [1913 Webster]
- To cause to strike; to use as an instrument in striking or hurling. [1913 Webster]"Prophesy, and smite thine hands together." [1913 Webster]"Saul . . . smote the javelin into the wall." [1913 Webster]
- To destroy the life of by beating, or by weapons of any kind; to slay by a blow; to kill; as, to smite one with the sword, or with an arrow or other instrument. [1913 Webster]
- To put to rout in battle; to overthrow by war. [1913 Webster]
- To blast; to destroy the life or vigor of, as by a stroke or by some visitation. [1913 Webster]"The flax and the barly was smitten." [1913 Webster]
- To afflict; to chasten; to punish. [1913 Webster]"Let us not mistake God's goodness, nor imagine, because he smites us, that we are forsaken by him." [1913 Webster]
- To strike or affect with passion, as love or fear. [1913 Webster]"The charms that smite the simple heart." [1913 Webster]"Smit with the love of sister arts we came." [1913 Webster]
smite, v. i.
To strike; to collide; to beat. [1913 Webster]
"The heart melteth, and the knees smite together." [1913 Webster]
smite, n.
The act of smiting; a blow. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
smite, v. & n.
--v. (past smote; past part. smitten) archaic or literary 1 tr. strike or hit.
2 tr. chastise; defeat.
3 tr. (in passive) a have a sudden strong effect on (was smitten by his conscience). b infatuate, fascinate (was smitten by her beauty).
4 intr. (foll. by on, upon) come forcibly or abruptly upon.
--n. a blow or stroke.
--v. (past smote; past part. smitten) archaic or literary 1 tr. strike or hit.
2 tr. chastise; defeat.
3 tr. (in passive) a have a sudden strong effect on (was smitten by his conscience). b infatuate, fascinate (was smitten by her beauty).
4 intr. (foll. by on, upon) come forcibly or abruptly upon.
--n. a blow or stroke.
Derivative
smiter n.
Etymology
OE smitan smear f. Gmc
THESAURUS
smite
affect, agonize, bang, bash, baste, bastinado, bat, beat, belabor, belt, biff, birch, bonk, buffet, cane, catch, clap, clip, clobber, clout, club, clump, coldcock, come home to, cowhide, crack, crucify, cudgel, cut, dash, deal, deal a blow, deck, ding, drub, excruciate, fetch, fetch a blow, flagellate, flail, flog, fustigate, give a whipping, give the stick, harrow, hit, hit a clip, hit the mark, horsewhip, impress, impress forcibly, jab, knock, knock cold, knock down, knock out, knout, lace, lash, lay on, let have it, make an impression, martyr, paste, pistol-whip, plunk, poke, pommel, pummel, punch, rawhide, rock, scourge, sink in, slam, slog, slosh, slug, smack, snap, soak, sock, spank, strap, strike, strike at, strike hard, strike home, stripe, swat, swinge, swipe, switch, tell, thrash, thump, thwack, torment, torture, traumatize, trounce, truncheon, try, wallop, whack, whale, wham, whip, whop, yerkROGET THESAURUS
smite
Badness
VB be hurtful, cause evil, produce evil, inflict evil, work evil, do evil, damnify, endamage, hurt, harm, injure, pain, wrong, aggrieve, oppress, persecute, trample upon, tread upon, bear hard upon, put upon, overburden, weigh down, weigh heavy on, victimize, run down, molest, maltreat, abuse, ill-use, ill-treat, buffet, bruise, scratch, maul, smite, do violence, do harm, do a mischief, stab, pierce, outrage, do mischief, make mischief, bring into trouble, destroy.Punishment
VB punish, chastise, chasten, castigate, correct, inflict punishment, administer correction, deal retributive justice, cowhide, lambaste, visit upon, pay, pay out, serve out, do for, make short work of, give a lesson to, serve one right, make an example of, have a rod in pickle for, give it one, strike, deal a blow to, administer the lash, smite, slap, slap the face, smack, cuff, box the ears, spank, thwack, thump, beat, lay on, swinge, buffet, thresh, thrash, pummel, drub, leather, trounce, sandbag, baste, belabor, lace, lace one's jacket, dress, dress down, give a dressing, trim, warm, wipe, tund, cob, bang, strap, comb, lash, lick, larrup, wallop, whop, flog, scourge, whip, birch, cane, give the stick, switch, flagellate, horsewhip, bastinado, towel, rub down with an oaken towel, rib roast, dust one's jacket, fustigate, pitch into, lay about one, beat black and blue, beat to a mummy, beat to a jelly, give a black eye, tar and feather, pelt, stone, lapidate, masthead, keelhaul, execute, bring to the block, bring to the gallows, behead, decapitate, guillotine, decollate, hang, turn off, gibbet, bowstring, hang draw and quarter, shoot, decimate, burn, break on the wheel, crucify, empale, impale, flay, lynch, electrocute, gas, send to the gas chamber, torture, put on, put to the rack, picket, banish, exile, transport, expel, ostracize, rusticate, drum out, dismiss, disbar, disbench, strike off the roll, unfrock, post, suffer, suffer for, suffer punishment, be flogged, be executed, suffer the ultimate penalty, be hanged, come to the gallows, mount the gallows, swing, twist in the wind, dance upon nothing, die in one's shoes, be rightly served, be electrocuted, fry, ride the lightning, face the firing squad.Excitation
VB excite, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect, stir the blood, fire the blood, warm the blood, set astir, wake, awake, awaken, call forth, evoke, provoke, raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up, raise, get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir, fire, kindle, enkindle, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame, stimulate, exsuscitate, inspirit, spirit up, stir up, work up, pique, infuse life into, give new life to, bring new blood, introduce new blood, quicken, sharpen, whet, work upon, hurry on, give a fillip, put on one's mettle, fan the fire, fan the flame, blow the coals, stir the embers, fan into a flame, foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat, keep up, keep the pot boiling, revive, rekindle, rake up, rip up, stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings, touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart, go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick, possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul, absorb, rivet the attention, sink into the mind, sink into the heart, prey on the mind, distract, intoxicate, overwhelm, overpower, bouleverser, upset, turn one's head, fascinate, enrapture, agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger, give one a shock, give one a turn, strike all of a heap, stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify, irritate, sting, cut to the heart, cut to the quick, try one's temper, fool to the top of one's bent, pique, infuriate, madden, make one's blood boil, lash into fury, be excited, flush up, flare up, catch the infection, thrill, mantle, work oneself up, seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave, run mad.Painfulness
VB cause pain, occasion pain, give pain, bring pain, induce pain, produce pain, create pain, inflict pain, pain, hurt, wound, pinch, prick, gripe, pierce, lancinate, cut, hurt the feelings, wound the feelings, grate upon the feelings, grate upon the nerves, jar upon the feelings, wring the heart, pierce the heart, lacerate the heart, break the heart, rend the heart, make the heart bleed, tear the heart strings, rend the heart strings, draw tears from the eyes, sadden, make unhappy, plunge into sorrow, grieve, fash, afflict, distress, cut up, cut to the heart, displease, annoy, incommode, discompose, trouble, disquiet, faze, feaze, feeze, disturb, cross, perplex, molest, tease, tire, irk, vex, mortify, wherret, worry, plague, bother, pester, bore, pother, harass, harry, badger, heckle, bait, beset, infest, persecute, importune, wring, harrow, torment, torture, bullyrag, put to the rack, put to the question, break on the wheel, rack, scarify, cruciate, crucify, convulse, agonize, barb the dart, plant a dagger in the breast, plant a thorn in one's side, irritate, provoke, sting, nettle, try the patience, pique, fret, rile, tweak the nose, chafe, gall, sting to the quick, wound to the quick, cut to the quick, aggrieve, affront, enchafe, enrage, ruffle, sour the temper, give offense, maltreat, bite, snap at, assail, smite, sicken, disgust, revolt, nauseate, disenchant, repel, offend, shock, stink in the nostrils, go against the stomach, turn the stomach, make one sick, set the teeth on edge, go against the grain, grate on the ear, stick in one's throat, stick in one's gizzard, rankle, gnaw, corrode, horrify, appal, appall, freeze the blood, make the flesh creep, make the hair stand on end, make the blood curdle, make the blood run cold, make one shudder, haunt the memory, weigh on the heart, prey on the heart, weigh on the mind, prey on the mind, weigh on the spirits, prey on the spirits, bring one's gray hairs with sorrow to the grave, add a nail to one's coffin.For further exploring for "smite" in Webster Dictionary Online
