smudge

English

WOTD – 7 January 2010

Pronunciation

• (UK,US)IPA^(key):/smʌd͡ʒ/

• Audio(US):

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• Audio(General Australian):

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• Rhymes:-ʌd͡ʒ

Etymology 1

Derived from the verb (see below).Doubletofsmutch.

Noun

smudge(countableanduncountable,pluralsmudges)

1. Ablemishorsmear,especially adarkorsootyone.

   There was asmudgeon the paper.

2. Densesmoke,such as that used forfumigation.
3. (US)A heap ofdampcombustiblespartiallyignitedandburningslowly, placed on thewindwardside of a house, tent, etc. to keep offmosquitoesor otherinsects.
   • 1842,Caroline Mathilda Kirkland,Forest Life,volume 1,page144:

     Then "smudges"are in vogue,—heaps of damp combustibles placed on the windward side of the house and partially ignited, that their inky steams may smother the mosquitoes while we take our chance. I have had a"smudge"made in a chafing-dish at my bedside, after a serious deliberation between choking and being devoured at small mouthfuls; and I conscientiously recommend choking, or running the risk of it, at least.

   • 1859,John Russell Bartlett,anonymous quotee,New York Courier and Enquirer,date unknown, quoted inDictionary of Americanisms,2nd edition,Boston: Little, Brown and Company,page420:

     We had taken about ten pounds of trout; and the first procedure, after reaching the camp, was to build asmudgeor smoke-fire, to drive away these abominable gnats, who, fortunately, take flight with the first whiff of smoke.

   • 1901May 24,H. Watkins-Pitchford,“Horse-sickness investigation”, inThe Agricultural Journal and Mining Record‎^[1],volume 4, number 6, page161:

     The use of smoke (or "smudges") against the attack of the mosquito is well understood in America and elsewhere.

4. (paganism,especially in the phrase "smudge stick" = "stick of incense")A quantity of herbs used insuffumigation.
   • 2006,Christian Rätsch, Claudia Müller-Ebeling,Pagan Christmas: The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals,→ISBN:

     Devil's dirt or asafetida ground together with fenugreek and black cumin seed is used as asmudgeagainst witches and[…]

Synonyms

• (blemish, smear):blur,smear,stain

Derived terms

• onion smudge
• smudge attack
• smudge cell
• smudge pot

Translations

a blemish; a smear

• Bulgarian:петно(bg)n(petno)
• Czech:šmouhaf
• Dutch:smet(nl)f,klad(nl)m,vlek(nl)f
• Finnish:tahra(fi),läiskä(fi)
• French:bavure(fr)f
• Galician:borrónm
• Georgian:please add this translation if you can
• German:Fleck(de)m
• Greek:μουτζούρα(el)f(moutzoúra)
• Irish:smearadhm
• Italian:sbavaturaf
• Latin:litūraf
• Macedonian:да́мкаf(dámka)
• Maori:ukuparanga
• Russian:пятно́(ru)n(pjatnó)
• Slovak:šmuhaf
• Spanish:borrón(es)m,tiznón(es)m,tiznajo(es)m,chafarrinada(es)f,chafarrinónm

dense smoke, such as used for fumigation

• Bulgarian:гъст димm(gǎst dim)
• Finnish:paksusavu
• Galician:fume(gl)m
• Georgian:კოცონი(ḳoconi)
• Italian:fumo(it)m
• Spanish:palo fumigadorm

Etymology 2

FromMiddle English*smogen(attested in the gerundsmogynge(“soiling, smudging”)), of obscure origin. CompareMiddle Englishbesmudded,bismuddet(“filthy”),Middle Englishsmod(“filth, obscene behaviour”),Middle Dutchsmoddich(“filthy, dirty”),Germanschmutzig(“dirty, filthy”).

Verb

smudge(third-person singular simple presentsmudges,present participlesmudging,simple past and past participlesmudged)

1. Toobscurebyblurring;tosmear.
2. Tosoilor smear withdirt.
3. To use densesmoketoprotectfrominsects.
4. Tostifleorsmotherwithsmoke.
5. (paganism,intransitive)Toburnherbsas acleansingritual(suffumigation).
6. (paganism,transitive)To subject to ritual burning of herbs (suffumigation,smudging).
   • 2013,Rachel Patterson,Pagan Portals - Hoodoo: Folk Magic,→ISBN:

     This is easily done using incense tosmudgeyourself or taking a cleansing bath. Tosmudgeyour body use an incense mixture such as sandalwood, lavender, frankincense or myrrh.

Synonyms

• (to obscure by blurring):blur,smear
• (to soil or smear with dirt):smutch,soil
• (to use smoke against insects):fumigate

Translations

to obscure by blurring

• Bulgarian:размазвам(bg)(razmazvam)
• Czech:zamazat
• Finnish:tuhria(fi),töhriä(fi),tahria(fi)
• French:maculer(fr)
• German:verschmieren(de),verwischen(de)
• Italian:opacizzare(it),oscurare(it)
• Latin:dēlinō
• Maori:ukupara
• Russian:разма́зывать(ru)impf(razmázyvatʹ),разма́зать(ru)pf(razmázatʹ)
• Slovak:zamazať
• Spanish:desenfocar(es),macular(es),difuminar(es)

to soil or smear with dirt

• Bulgarian:зацапвам(bg)(zacapvam),опетнявам(bg)(opetnjavam)
• Finnish:töhriä(fi)
• German:verschmieren(de),verwischen(de)
• Ingrian:sotkia
• Maori:ukupara
• Russian:па́чкать(ru)impf(páčkatʹ),испа́чкать(ru)pf(ispáčkatʹ),мара́ть(ru)impf(marátʹ),замара́ть(ru)pf(zamarátʹ),

to use dense smoke to protect from insects

• Finnish:savuttaa(fi),savustaa(fi)

Related terms

• smudgily
• smudginess
• smudgy

Anagrams

• Mudges,degums,mudges