Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Smoth, Smwthe, Smeith, adj. Also: smothe, smoith, smoath, smouthe, smooth, (sme(a). [ME smeþe (c1200), smeth (Cursor M.), smoþe (14th c.), smethe (c1420); ME and e.m.E. smothe (Chaucer); e.m.E. smoth (Tindale), smowth (Lydgate), smooth (Coverdale), smouth (Shakespeare), OE smóð (once), sméðe.] Having a surface free from projections or roughness; even to the touch or sight. Also in comb. with hewen (Hewin ppl. adj.). b. Of speech, etc.: Not abrasive or harsh, conciliatory; persuasive; plausible.Smetheberde (1467), Smeberd (1519), Smeithberd (1526), etc. in Black's Surnames of Scotland, s.v. Smibert. 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 165.
Williame Smeabeard 1684 Wodrow Hist. II (1722) App. 119.
John Smeabeard in Torcraik(a) 1460 Hay Alex. 11430.
Thai war all nakit, with hingand taty hare, Thare feitt war s[m]eith, with hede and handis bare; Thai war richt mekill men, of sembly mak c1500 Rowll Cursing 201 (B).
Sum ar smeith [M. sneth] & sum ar ruch(b) 1513 Doug. viii ii 49.
A smoith puyl, or dub lovn and fair c1520-c1535 Nisbet Ep. Ald Test. xliv 11.
Esau my bruther is ane hairy man, alsa I am smothe [P. smethe, W. soft] 1528 Lynd. Dreme 115.
The see was furth; the sand wes smoith & dryye 15.. Clar. iii 728.
Hir tender hyd … As Mayis blossome, smoth 1585 James VI Ess. 16.
Thy trident doth it [sc. the sea] calme, Which maks it cleare and smothe lyke glas or alme 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 605.
Cheeks of yvorie … The smothest pearle(c) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 112.
Workmen … pairing away the greine grasse, and making all thingis smwthe and sliddrie from clymming of the walliscomb. 1684 Thanes of Cawdor 368.
The jambs of the chimneys to be smooth hewenb. 1600-1610 Melvill 369.
The rest leyed upon me to be speaker, alleaging I could propone the mater substantiuslie and in a myld and smothe maner 1628 Cath. Tr. 272/29.
This our politician apostle & apostate Knox had withdrawne the harts of the people craftily from the Catholik faith by his smoath language & plausible preaching (wherein he always traduced the Catholiks by his venomous vntruths & calumnies) 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 193.
Balcarras did argue that the letter … should beare a command from the parl. and not to be so smouthe in giuing resons for ther desyres, and deletting the wordes wee command; bot in the way of prudencey it wes caried in a smouthe way