Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who works with metal, especially by forging it when it is hot and malleable: A smith is a skilled craftsperson who shapes metal, often iron or steel, using tools like a hammer and anvil.
   • A person who works at a specified craft or activity: Used in combination with another word to denote a worker in a particular field (e.g., a wordsmith is a skilled writer).
   • A surname of notable individuals: The word is a common surname for several historically significant figures in fields such as economics, exploration, religion, and the arts.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Metalworker):
  • The village smith repaired the farmer's plow.
  • Blacksmiths and silversmiths are both types of smiths.
• Noun (Specified Worker):
  • He is a talented wordsmith, known for his eloquent speeches.
• Noun (Surname):
  • Adam Smith wrote "The Wealth of Nations."
  • Bessie Smith was a famous blues singer.

Advanced Usage

• "Smithy": A synonym for a blacksmith's workshop or forge.
  • The sound of hammering came from the old smithy.
• Used in compound nouns to specify a type of artisan: , , .

Variants and Related Words

• Blacksmith (n): A smith who works with iron, especially forging horseshoes and tools.
• Goldsmith (n): A smith who works with gold, making jewelry and other items.
• Silversmith (n): A smith who works with silver.
• Wordsmith (n): A skilled user of words, such as a writer or poet.
• Smithy (n): The workshop of a smith; a forge.

Synonyms

• Metalworker: A general term for someone who works with metal.
• Forger: One who shapes metal by heating and hammering.
• Artisan: A skilled craftsperson.

Related Phrases

• Smith's shop: Another term for a smithy or forge.
  • He took the broken hinge to the smith's shop.

Related Idioms

• "Strike while the iron is hot": This proverb originates from the work of a smith, meaning to take action at the most opportune moment.

Noun

1. someone who works metal (especially by hammering it when it is hot and malleable)
2. someone who works at something specified
3. Scottish economist who advocated private enterprise and free trade (1723-1790)
4. English explorer who helped found the colony at Jamestown, Virginia; was said to have been saved by Pocahontas (1580-1631)
5. religious leader who founded the Mormon Church in 1830 (1805-1844)
6. United States blues singer (1894-1937)
7. United States suffragist who refused to pay taxes until she could vote (1792-1886)
8. United States singer noted for her rendition of patriotic songs (1909-1986)
9. United States sculptor (1906-1965)
10. Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)