| English noun: smirch | |||
| 1. | smirch (attribute) a blemish made by dirt | ||
| Samples | He had a smudge on his cheek. | ||
| Synonyms | blot, daub, slur, smear, smudge, spot | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | blemish, defect, mar | ||
| Narrower (hyponym) | blotch, fingermark, fingerprint, inkblot, splodge, splotch | ||
| 2. | smirch (act) an act that brings discredit to the person who does it | ||
| Samples | He made a huge blot on his copybook. | ||
| Synonyms | blot, smear, spot, stain | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | error, fault, mistake | ||
| English verb: smirch | |||
| 1. | smirch (contact) smear so as to make dirty or stained | ||
| Synonyms | besmirch | ||
| Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | smear | ||
| 2. | smirch (communication) charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone | ||
| Samples | The journalists have defamed me!. The article in the paper sullied my reputation. | ||
| Synonyms | asperse, besmirch, calumniate, defame, denigrate, slander, smear, sully | ||
| Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | accuse, charge | ||
| Narrower (hyponym) | assassinate, badmouth, drag through the mud, libel, malign, traduce | ||