smeary
Definition
- Adjective:
- Marked with smears: "smeary" describes something that has stains, streaks, or marks of dirt, grease, or a similar substance.
- Causing smears: It can also refer to a substance or quality that tends to leave smears or stains on surfaces.
Usage Examples
- (The glass had dirty streaks or marks.)
- (Her hands were stained with ink.)
- (The paint tends to cause smears.)
Advanced Usage
"smeary residue": a thin layer of a substance left behind that stains or streaks.
- The cleaner left a smeary residue on the countertop. (The cleaning product left greasy marks.)
"smeary vision": a metaphorical or literal state where sight is blurred or obstructed by smears.
- His smeary glasses made it hard to read the sign. (His glasses were dirty, causing blurred vision.)
Variants and Related Words
Smear (n/ v): a mark or stain; to spread a substance over a surface.
- There was a smear of jam on the tablecloth. (A small stain.)
- Do not smear the paint—apply it evenly. (Do not spread it messily.)
Smeariness (n): the quality of being smeary.
- The smeariness of the old photograph made it difficult to see faces. (The state of having smears.)
Synonyms
- Streaked: marked with lines or stripes of dirt or color.
- Stained: marked with a permanent or difficult-to-remove mark.
- Greasy: covered with or containing grease, often causing smears.
Related Idioms
- "Smeary reputation": a metaphorical use meaning a reputation that is tarnished or sullied (though this is less common and primarily uses "smear" as a verb).
- The scandal left a smeary mark on his public image. (His reputation was stained.)
Note: The word "smeary" is relatively rare in modern English and is most often used in literal contexts involving physical stains or marks. It does not commonly appear in phrasal verbs or complex idioms. The verb "to smear" is more frequent in both literal and figurative senses (e.g., "to smear someone's name" meaning to defame).