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Smirk vs Reek - What's the difference?

smirk | reek |

As nouns the difference between smirk and reek

is that smirk is an uneven, often crooked smile that is insolent, self-satisfied or scornful while reek is a strong unpleasant smell or reek can be (ireland) a hill; a mountain.

As verbs the difference between smirk and reek

is that smirk is to smile in a way that is affected, smug, insolent or contemptuous while reek is (archaic|intransitive) to be emitted or exhaled, emanate, as of vapour or perfume.

As an adjective smirk

is (obsolete) smart; spruce; affected; simpering.

smirk

English

(wikipedia smirk)

Alternative forms

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Noun

(en noun)
  • An uneven, often crooked smile that is insolent, self-satisfied or scornful.
  • A forced or affected smile; a simper.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
    • The bride, all smirk and blush, had just entered.

    Derived terms

    * smirker * smirkily * smirkingly * smirky

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To smile in a way that is affected, smug, insolent or contemptuous.

    • Synonyms

    * simper * shit-eating grin (vulgar)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) smart; spruce; affected; simpering
  • * Spenser
    • So smirk , so smooth.

    reek

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) rek, ‘smoke, fog’, Albanian regj ‘to tan’).Vladimir Orel, A Handbook of Germanic Etymology , s.vv. “*raukiz”, “*reukanan”(Leiden: Brill, 2003), 299:303.

    Noun

    (-)
  • A strong unpleasant smell.
  • Vapor; steam; smoke; fume.
  • * Shakespeare
    • As hateful to me as the reek of a limekiln.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) reken ‘to smoke’, from (etyl) . See above.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (archaic) To be emitted or exhaled, emanate, as of vapour or perfume.
  • To have or give off a strong, unpleasant smell.
    • You reek of perfume.
    Your fridge reeks of egg.
  • (figuratively) To be evidently associated with something unpleasant.
    • The boss appointing his nephew as a director reeks of nepotism.

    Etymology 3

    Probably a transferred use (after Irish cruach stack (of corn), pile, mountain, hill) of a variant of rick (with which it is cognate).

    Noun

    (s)
  • (Ireland) A hill; a mountain.

    • References

    * * * * * Notes:

    Anagrams

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