Smear (Noun)
Meaning 1
An act that brings discredit to the person who does it; "he made a huge blot on his copybook".
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- His reckless spending on the company's expense account will be a huge smear on his reputation.
- The scandal surrounding his use of company funds will leave a permanent smear on his business record.
- His behavior towards the new employee has brought a smear on the company's otherwise excellent HR record.
- The CEO's personal involvement in the embezzlement scheme was a big smear on an otherwise successful career.
- The company's environmental scandal has put a smear on its previously clean record as a responsible corporate citizen.
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Meaning 2
A thin tissue or blood sample spread on a glass slide and stained for cytologic examination and diagnosis under a microscope.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- The pathologist carefully prepared the smear by spreading a thin layer of tissue on the glass slide.
- The laboratory technician stained the smear with a special dye to highlight the abnormal cells.
- The doctor examined the smear under the microscope, searching for signs of cancer.
- The smear was sent to a specialist for further analysis and diagnosis.
- The nurse obtained a smear from the patient's cervix during the routine Pap test.
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Meaning 3
A blemish made by dirt; "he had a smudge on his cheek".
Classification
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects.
Examples
- The child's face had a smudge of chocolate on her cheek from eating a candy bar.
- A smudge on the lens of her glasses made it difficult for her to see clearly.
- After working in the garden, she had a smudge of dirt on her forehead.
- The artist's hands were covered in smudges of paint as she worked on her latest masterpiece.
- A smudge on the mirror made it hard to get a clear reflection.
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Meaning 4
Slanderous defamation.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The politician was the target of a vicious smear that accused her of embezzling campaign funds.
- The company's executives were furious over the smear published in the headlines of the rival newspaper.
- The celebrity's reputation was damaged by a smear that claimed she had made insensitive remarks about a minority group.
- The online smear campaign against the author was orchestrated by a rival writer who felt threatened by her success.
- The politician denied the smear that accused him of taking bribes from lobbyists, calling it a baseless lie.