smug
English
Etymology
Possibly from Middle Low German smuk (“lithe, delicate, neat, trim”) although the g of the English word is not easily explained. From the Low German derived also North Frisian smok, Danish smuk and Swedish smukk (now obsolete or dialectal). The ultimate source should be Proto-Germanic *smeuganą.
Compare Middle High German gesmuc (“ornament”) and smücken (“to dress, to adorn”), both ultimately from smiegen (“to press to, insert, wrap, to nestle”), hence German schmiegen, Schmuck and schmücken. The adjective schmuck, however, was borrowed from Low German. See smock for more.
Pronunciation
- enPR: smŭg, IPA(key): /smʌɡ/
Audio (AU) (file) - Rhymes: -ʌɡ
Adjective
smug (comparative smugger, superlative smuggest)
- Irritatingly pleased with oneself; offensively self-complacent, self-satisfied.
- Kate looked extremely smug this morning.
- Showing smugness; showing self-complacency, self-satisfaction.
- a smug look on her face
- (obsolete) Studiously neat or nice, especially in dress; spruce; affectedly precise; smooth and prim.
- 1556, Raphe Robynson, More’s Utopia: The English Translation thereof
- They be so smug and smooth.
- 1828, Thomas De Quincey, Elements of Rhetoric (published in Blackwood's Magazine)
- the smug and scanty draperies of his style
- c. 1621, John Fletcher; Philip Massinger, “The Pilgrim”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, OCLC 3083972, Act I, scene ii:
- A young, smug, handsome holiness has no fellow.
- 1556, Raphe Robynson, More’s Utopia: The English Translation thereof
Synonyms
- gloaty
- self-satisfied
- complacent
- See also Thesaurus:arrogant
Derived terms
- smugly
- smugness
Translations
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Verb
smug (third-person singular simple present smugs, present participle smugging, simple past and past participle smugged)
- (obsolete, transitive) To make smug, or spruce.
- 1612, Michael Drayton, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [John Selden], editor, Poly-Olbion. Or A Chorographicall Description of Tracts, Riuers, Mountaines, Forests, and Other Parts of this Renowned Isle of Great Britaine, […], London: […] H[umphrey] L[ownes] for Mathew Lownes; I. Browne; I. Helme; I. Busbie, published 1613, OCLC 1049089293:
- Thus said, he smug'd his beard, and stroked up fair.
-
- (obsolete, transitive, slang) To seize; to confiscate.
- (obsolete, transitive, slang) To hush up.
Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for smug in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913)
Further reading
- smug in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- smug in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
Anagrams
- Gums, MGUs, gums, mugs
Danish
Etymology
From Danish smyge.
Noun
smug
- in secret, hidden
Derived terms
- i smug
Irish
Pronunciation
- (Ulster) IPA(key): /sˠmˠʌɡ/[1]
Noun
smug f (genitive singular smuige, nominative plural smuga)
- Ulster form of smuga (“mucus, snot”)
Declension
Second declension
Bare forms
| Forms with the definite article
|
References
- Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 25
Norwegian Bokmål
Alternative forms
- smau (Nynorsk also)
Etymology
From the verb smyge.
Noun
smug n (definite singular smuget, indefinite plural smug, definite plural smuga or smugene)
- an alley or alleyway (usually for pedestrians)
References
- “smug” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Polish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /smuk/
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -uk
- Syllabification: smug
Noun
smug m inan
- a narrow strip of meadow or, less commonly, of a field or forest
- any meadow, especially one that is marshy
- (archaic) Alternative form of smuga (“streak, trail, contrail”)
Declension
singular | plural | |
---|---|---|
nominative | smug | smugi |
genitive | smugu | smugów |
dative | smugowi | smugom |
accusative | smug | smugi |
instrumental | smugiem | smugami |
locative | smugu | smugach |
vocative | smugu | smugi |
Noun
smug f
- genitive plural of smuga
Further reading
- smug in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- smug in Polish dictionaries at PWN