Middle English Dictionary Entry
smēre adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | smēre adv. Also smāre. |
| Etymology | ?OE: cp. smǣr[e], smēr[e] lip; smǣran, (A) smēran to deride; bīsmer mockery; & gāl-smǣre facetious. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Happily, heartily; also, contemptuously; laughen ~.
Associated quotations
- ?a1300 Fox & W.(Dgb 86)23 : Þo he wes inne, smere he lou.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)7474 : Þane king hit þohte game inoh for hire speche he smere loh.
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)984 : His Moder þarof wondri gan, And gret Joye hadde and louȝ smere a non.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)26/31 : Wanne he ȝeue him a deop wonde, liȝe he gan wel smere.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2870 : Her hors apolk stap in, Þe water her wat ay whare..So heye vnder hir gare It fleiȝe, Þe leuedi louȝ ful smare.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)386 : Þe Sarȝyn gan to lawe smere & to O[lyuer] sayde þan, 'Wat wendest þou now so me a-fere, þov art an hastif man.'
- a1450 SLeg.Suppl.Bod.(Bod 779)409/22 : Sysin þo for gladnesse gan to leyȝe wel smere.