See smarm in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"etymology_text": "The noun is attested since 1914, from the colloquial verb smalm, smarm (“to smear, bedaub (hair, with pomade)”), attested since 1847, of unknown origin, perhaps somehow suggestive of the action. Verbal meaning \"to smear with flattery\" is from 1902.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "smarms",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "~"
},
"expansion": "smarm (countable and uncountable, plural smarms)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "60 32 4 4",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "47 38 8 7",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "59 30 6 5",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2012 May 20, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Marge Gets A Job” (season 4, episode 7; originally aired 11/05/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:",
"text": "Phil Hartman, the voice and soul of McClure, was the king of making everything sounds cheerful and positive, no matter how grim. McClure was the personification of smarm. He alone could say, “Your children are missing. I know because I murdered them with my own hands!” and make it sound like good news.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Smarmy language or behavior."
],
"id": "en-smarm-en-noun-H36oGMq6",
"links": [
[
"Smarmy",
"smarmy"
],
[
"language",
"language"
],
[
"behavior",
"behavior"
]
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"uncountable"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "47 38 8 7",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A style of fan fiction in which characters are warm and caring toward each other but without sexual overtones."
],
"id": "en-smarm-en-noun-v7WheWc4",
"links": [
[
"fandom",
"fandom"
],
[
"slang",
"slang"
],
[
"fan fiction",
"fan fiction"
],
[
"warm",
"warm"
],
[
"caring",
"caring"
],
[
"sexual",
"sexual"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(fandom slang) A style of fan fiction in which characters are warm and caring toward each other but without sexual overtones."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"slang",
"uncountable"
],
"topics": [
"lifestyle"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/smɑːm/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/smɑɹm/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-smarm.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/3f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/3f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɑː(ɹ)m"
}
],
"word": "smarm"
}
{
"etymology_text": "The noun is attested since 1914, from the colloquial verb smalm, smarm (“to smear, bedaub (hair, with pomade)”), attested since 1847, of unknown origin, perhaps somehow suggestive of the action. Verbal meaning \"to smear with flattery\" is from 1902.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "smarms",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "smarming",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "smarmed",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "smarmed",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "smarm (third-person singular simple present smarms, present participle smarming, simple past and past participle smarmed)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [],
"glosses": [
"To fawn, to be unctuous."
],
"id": "en-smarm-en-verb-g5MbpDqD",
"links": [
[
"fawn",
"fawn"
],
[
"unctuous",
"unctuous"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive) To fawn, to be unctuous."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1874, Frank Usher, A strange love, volume 2, London: Tinsley Bros, page 53:",
"text": "\"If you go to her and smarm her, it will be all right.\"\n\"If I do what to her?\" asked Mervyn, wondering what the operation of smarming might be.\n\"Of course you don't know,\" laughed Aggie; \"it is a school word. You explain what it means, Isabel.\"\n\"To smarm,\" explained Isabel, \"signifies to say 'yes ma'am,' or 'yes marm,' to a governess when she is rating you. It is ah expressive word, isn't it? It means 'to conciliate by assent;' that is the best definition that I can give of it.\"\n\"Excellent word,\" said Mervyn. \"Then. I am to smarm your mamma, am I, Aggie?[\"]",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1957, Lawrence Durrell, Justine:",
"text": "He rose ... on his wife's fortune and judicious smarming of powerful people.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To address in a fawning and unctuous manner."
],
"id": "en-smarm-en-verb-wwoaFLm~",
"links": [
[
"fawning",
"fawning"
],
[
"unctuous",
"unctuous"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To address in a fawning and unctuous manner."
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/smɑːm/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/smɑɹm/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-smarm.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/3f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/3f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɑː(ɹ)m"
}
],
"word": "smarm"
}
{
"categories": [
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English uncountable nouns",
"English verbs",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)m",
"Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)m/1 syllable"
],
"etymology_text": "The noun is attested since 1914, from the colloquial verb smalm, smarm (“to smear, bedaub (hair, with pomade)”), attested since 1847, of unknown origin, perhaps somehow suggestive of the action. Verbal meaning \"to smear with flattery\" is from 1902.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "smarms",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "~"
},
"expansion": "smarm (countable and uncountable, plural smarms)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2012 May 20, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Marge Gets A Job” (season 4, episode 7; originally aired 11/05/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:",
"text": "Phil Hartman, the voice and soul of McClure, was the king of making everything sounds cheerful and positive, no matter how grim. McClure was the personification of smarm. He alone could say, “Your children are missing. I know because I murdered them with my own hands!” and make it sound like good news.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Smarmy language or behavior."
],
"links": [
[
"Smarmy",
"smarmy"
],
[
"language",
"language"
],
[
"behavior",
"behavior"
]
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"uncountable"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English fandom slang"
],
"glosses": [
"A style of fan fiction in which characters are warm and caring toward each other but without sexual overtones."
],
"links": [
[
"fandom",
"fandom"
],
[
"slang",
"slang"
],
[
"fan fiction",
"fan fiction"
],
[
"warm",
"warm"
],
[
"caring",
"caring"
],
[
"sexual",
"sexual"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(fandom slang) A style of fan fiction in which characters are warm and caring toward each other but without sexual overtones."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"slang",
"uncountable"
],
"topics": [
"lifestyle"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/smɑːm/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/smɑɹm/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-smarm.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/3f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/3f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɑː(ɹ)m"
}
],
"word": "smarm"
}
{
"categories": [
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English uncountable nouns",
"English verbs",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)m",
"Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)m/1 syllable"
],
"etymology_text": "The noun is attested since 1914, from the colloquial verb smalm, smarm (“to smear, bedaub (hair, with pomade)”), attested since 1847, of unknown origin, perhaps somehow suggestive of the action. Verbal meaning \"to smear with flattery\" is from 1902.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "smarms",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "smarming",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "smarmed",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "smarmed",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "smarm (third-person singular simple present smarms, present participle smarming, simple past and past participle smarmed)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs"
],
"glosses": [
"To fawn, to be unctuous."
],
"links": [
[
"fawn",
"fawn"
],
[
"unctuous",
"unctuous"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive) To fawn, to be unctuous."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1874, Frank Usher, A strange love, volume 2, London: Tinsley Bros, page 53:",
"text": "\"If you go to her and smarm her, it will be all right.\"\n\"If I do what to her?\" asked Mervyn, wondering what the operation of smarming might be.\n\"Of course you don't know,\" laughed Aggie; \"it is a school word. You explain what it means, Isabel.\"\n\"To smarm,\" explained Isabel, \"signifies to say 'yes ma'am,' or 'yes marm,' to a governess when she is rating you. It is ah expressive word, isn't it? It means 'to conciliate by assent;' that is the best definition that I can give of it.\"\n\"Excellent word,\" said Mervyn. \"Then. I am to smarm your mamma, am I, Aggie?[\"]",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1957, Lawrence Durrell, Justine:",
"text": "He rose ... on his wife's fortune and judicious smarming of powerful people.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To address in a fawning and unctuous manner."
],
"links": [
[
"fawning",
"fawning"
],
[
"unctuous",
"unctuous"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To address in a fawning and unctuous manner."
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/smɑːm/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/smɑɹm/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-smarm.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/3f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/3f/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-smarm.wav.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɑː(ɹ)m"
}
],
"word": "smarm"
}
Download raw JSONL data for smarm meaning in English (5.5kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-13 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (4ba5975 and 4ed51a5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.