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Overlay vs Smear - What's the difference?

overlay | smear | Related terms |

Overlay is a related term of smear.


In lang=en terms the difference between overlay and smear

is that overlay is to lay, or spread, something over or across; to cover while smear is to become spread by smearing.

As verbs the difference between overlay and smear

is that overlay is to lay, or spread, something over or across; to cover while smear is to spread (a substance, especially one that colours or is dirty) across a surface by rubbing.

As nouns the difference between overlay and smear

is that overlay is (printing) a piece of paper pasted upon the tympan sheet to improve the impression by making it stronger at a particular place while smear is a mark made by smearing.

overlay

English

Verb

  • To lay, or spread, something over or across; to cover.
  • * Spenser
    • as when a cloud his beams doth overlay
  • * Milton
    • framed of cedar overlaid with gold
  • To overwhelm; to press excessively upon.
  • * Sir Walter Raleigh
    • when any country is overlaid by the multitude which live upon it
  • * Bible, 1 Kings iii. 19
    • This woman's child died in the night, because she overlaid it.
  • * Dryden
    • a heap of ashes that o'erlays your fire
  • *1993 , (Pat Barker), The Eye in the Door'', Penguin 2014 (''The Regeneration Trilogy ), p. 371:
  • *:Prostitutes, thieves, girls who ‘overlaid ’ their babies, abortionists who stuck their knitting needles into something vital – did they really need to be here?
  • (printing) To put an on.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (printing) A piece of paper pasted upon the tympan sheet to improve the impression by making it stronger at a particular place.
  • (betting) Odds which are set higher than expected or warranted. Favorable odds.
  • (horse racing) A horse going off at higher odds than it appears to warrant, based on its past performances.
  • A decal attached to a computer keyboard to relabel the keys.
  • * 1994 , Roger Frost, The IT in Secondary Science Book (page 56)
    • The keyboard overlay can be a memory jogger and a great help with spelling. In this way the keyboard makes word processing more accessible to younger as well as special needs children.

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms

    smear

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To spread (a substance, especially one that colours or is dirty) across a surface by rubbing.
    • The artist smeared paint over the canvas in broad strokes.
  • To have a substance smeared on (a surface).
    • She smeared her lips with lipstick.
  • To damage someone's reputation by slandering, misrepresenting, or otherwise making false accusations about an individual, their statements, or their actions.
    • ''The opposition party attempted to smear the candidate by spreading incorrect and unverifiable rumors about their personal behavior.
  • To become spread by smearing.
    • The paint is still wet — don't touch it or it will smear .
  • To climb without using footholds, using the friction from the shoe to stay on the wall.

    • Synonyms

    * spread * (have a substance smeared on) coat, cover, layer

    Derived terms

    * smearer

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A mark made by smearing.
    • This detergent cleans windows without leaving smears .
  • (medicine) A Pap smear.
    • I'm going to the doctor's this afternoon for a smear .
  • A false attack.
  • A maneuver in which the shoe is placed onto the holdless rock, and the friction from the shoe keeps it in contact
  • A rough glissando in jazz music.

    • Synonyms

    * (mark) streak * (Pap smear) Pap smear, Pap test

    Derived terms

    * cervical smear * smear campaign * smear case

    Anagrams

    * * * * English ergative verbs