smile
to make your mouth curve upwards, in order to be friendly or because you are happy or amused
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
smile
I. smile1 S3 W1 /smaɪl/ BrE AmE verb
[Date: 1200-1300; Origin: Probably from a Scandinavian language]
1. [intransitive] to make your mouth curve upwards, in order to be friendly or because you are happy or amused
smile at
Susan smiled at him and waved.
She had to smile at his enthusiasm (=she was amused by it).
her smiling face
smile about
I haven’t had much to smile about lately.
smile to yourself
Mark read the message and smiled to himself.
► You smile at someone. Do not say ‘smile to someone’.
2. [transitive] to say or express something with a smile:
‘It’s good to have you back,’ she smiled.
3. fortune/the gods etc smile on somebody especially literary if ↑fortune, the gods etc smile on you, you have good luck
COLLOCATIONS
■ adverbs
▪ smile broadly (=very happily, with a wide smile) He sat there smiling broadly.
▪ smile warmly (=in a friendly way) The man looked at Kim and smiled warmly.
▪ smile faintly/slightly (=a little) I saw her smile faintly at the memory.
▪ smile politely I shook his hand and smiled politely.
▪ smile sweetly (=in a friendly way, sometimes not sincerely) I smiled sweetly and walked away.
▪ smile ruefully written (=in a slightly sad way) ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, and smiled ruefully.
▪ smile wryly written (=when a situation is bad but also amusing) Carew looked at the mess and smiled wryly to himself.
▪ smile thinly written (=a little, not in a happy or friendly way) She smiled thinly. He would be sorry one day.
▪ smile weakly written (=without energy or confidence) ‘It’s OK,,’ she said, and smiled weakly.
▪ smile grimly written (=when pleased or amused in an unpleasant situation) The guard smiled grimly.
■ verbs
▪ smile to yourself Maggie looked at the photo and smiled to herself.
▪ make somebody smile His comment made her smile.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ smile to make your mouth curve upwards, in order to be friendly or because you are happy or amused: She smiled when she read his email. | ‘I’m delighted to meet you,' George said, smiling at the girl.
▪ grin to give a big smile: The two boys were grinning at each other. | The coach was grinning from ear to ear (=was grinning a lot) when the team scored.
▪ beam to give a big happy smile for a long time, because you are very pleased or proud: She beamed with pride as her son collected the award. | The wedding couple were outside beaming at the camera.
▪ smirk to smile in an unpleasant way, for example because you are pleased about someone else’s bad luck or because you know something that someone else does not know: The children smirked when the teacher dropped all the books on the floor. | What are you smirking about?
▪ simper disapproving written to smile in a silly and annoying way: a group of simpering schoolgirls | I hated the way she simpered every time a man spoke to her.
II. smile2 S2 W2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
an expression in which your mouth curves upwards, when you are being friendly or are happy or amused:
He had a big smile on his face.
with a smile
‘Oh, I’m fine,’ Anna replied with a smile.
⇨ wipe the smile/grin off sb’s face at ↑wipe1(7)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ give (somebody) a smile The boy gave a friendly smile.
▪ flash (somebody) a smile (=give a quick smile) She flashed him a smile.
▪ have a smile on your face/lips They all had broad smiles on their faces.
▪ be all smiles (=be happy or friendly and smile a lot) One moment he’s all smiles, the next moment he shouts at me.
▪ force/manage a smile (=smile when you do not really feel happy or friendly) She forced a smile, but he could see disappointment in her face.
▪ wear a smile (=have a smile on your face) She wore a self-confident smile.
▪ return sb’s smile (=smile back at someone) I smiled at him, but he didn’t return my smile.
▪ somebody breaks into a smile/sb’s face breaks into a smile (=they suddenly smile) Anna’s face broke into a smile at the prospect of a guest.
▪ a smile spreads across sb’s face (=they smile) A faint smile spread across her face.
▪ sb’s smile broadens (=it gets bigger) His smile broadened when Sarah walked in.
▪ sb’s smile fades/vanishes (=they stop smiling) Her smile faded and a shaft of panic shot through her.
■ adjectives
▪ a big/broad/wide smile (=when you are very happy) She had a big smile on her face.
▪ a warm/friendly smile Peter Leary welcomed Rachel with a warm smile.
▪ a little/faint/slight smile She gave him an apologetic little smile.
▪ a quick smile She gave him a quick smile.
▪ a slow smile A slow smile spread across his face.
▪ a dazzling smile (=a big smile which shows someone’s white teeth) When he came back she gave him her most dazzling smile.
▪ a beaming/radiant smile (=when you are very happy) ‘I’m so pleased,’ she told him with a beaming smile.
▪ a bright smile written (=when you look very happy, but you may not feel happy) She forced a bright smile.
▪ a tight smile written (=when you are not really happy or friendly) As he stepped past Carson he gave a quick, tight smile of acknowledgement.
▪ a wry smile written (=when a situation is bad but also amusing) Guy’s mouth twisted into a wry smile.
▪ a rueful smile written (=when you feel slightly sad) ‘I’ve been pretty stupid, haven’t I?’ Harry said with a rueful smile.
▪ a knowing smile (=when you know something secret) She wanted to smack him for his knowing smile.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ different types of expression
▪ frown the expression on your face when you move your eyebrows together because you are angry, unhappy, or confused: With a frown, she asked, ‘So what’s wrong with that?’
▪ smile an expression in which your mouth curves upwards, when you are being friendly or are happy or amused: She gave him a quick smile.
▪ scowl an angry or disapproving expression: There was a scowl of irritation on his face.
▪ glare a long angry look: He gave her a furious glare, but said nothing.
▪ grimace an expression you make by twisting your face because you do not like something or because you are feeling pain: His face twisted into a grimace of anguish.
▪ sneer an expression that shows you have no respect for something or someone: ‘That’s what you said last time,’ she said with a sneer.
▪ smirk an expression in which you smile in an unpleasant way that shows you are pleased by someone else’s bad luck or that you think you are better than other people: He had a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
▪ pout an expression in which you push out your lower lip because you are unhappy that you did not get what you want: ‘You’re going away?’ she said with a pout.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
smile
smile [smile smiles smiled smiling] verb, noun [smaɪl] [smaɪl]
verb
1. intransitive to make a smile appear on your face
• to smile sweetly/faintly/broadly, etc.
• He smiled with relief.
• He never seems to smile.
• He smiled to think how naive he used to be.
• ~ at sb/sth She smiled at him and he smiled back.
• I had to smile at (= was amused by) his optimism.
• Her eyes smiled up at him.
2. transitive to say or express sth with a smile
• ~ sth She smiled her thanks.
• + speech ‘Perfect,’ he smiled.
3. transitive, no passive ~ sth to give a smile of a particular type
• to smile a small smile
• She smiled a smile of dry amusement.
see smile/grin/beam from ear to ear at ear
Verb forms:
Word Origin:
Middle English: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; related to smirk.
Thesaurus:
smile verb I, T, no passive
• She smiled with pleasure.
grin • • beam • |disapproving smirk • • simper •
Opp: frown
smile/grin/beam/smirk/simper at sb/sth
smile/grin/beam/smirk with sth
smile/grin/beam broadly/widely/happily/cheerfully/from ear to ear
Example Bank:
• Gary is always smiling— he's so positive.
• He looked at the mess and smiled weakly.
• He smiled at her, and she smiled back.
• He turned and smiled at me.
• I simply smiled at him and said ‘hi!’
• Lawrence nodded, smiling happily.
• Molly smiled rather wryly and said nothing.
• She put down her tools and smiled broadly.
• She smiled to herself, picturing how surprised her mother would be to see her.
• She smiled up at him.
• She smiled with pleasure.
• The doctor smiled reassuringly.
• The memory still made her smile.
• I had to smile at his optimism.
Idiom: all smiles
Derived: smile on somebody
noun
the expression that you have on your face when you are happy, amused, etc. in which the corners of your mouth turn upwards
• ‘Oh, hello,’ he said, with a smile.
• She gave a wry smile.
• He had a big smile on his face.
• I'm going to wipe that smile off your face (= make you stop thinking this is funny).
Word Origin:
Middle English: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; related to smirk.
Example Bank:
• A faint smile flickered across her face.
• A gentle smile spread over her face.
• A small smile played on his lips.
• A smile came to her lips.
• A trace of a smile played across her lips.
• A wry smile crept over his face.
• A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
• He could hardly keep the smile off his face.
• He flashed her a disarming smile.
• He had a goofy smile plastered across his face.
• He had an infectious smile that touched the lives of many people.
• Her antics brought a smile to my face.
• Her father forced a smile.
• Her smile grew radiant.
• Her sunny smile vanished as she read the letter.
• His face creased into a smile.
• His face was wreathed in smiles.
• His smile faltered slightly.
• I'm going to wipe that smile off your face.
• It is a beautiful song that puts a smile on your face.
• Mention of this subject is guaranteed to raise a smile.
• She always has a smile on her face.
• She gave a wry smile.
• She got up immediately, a smile lighting up her face.
• She had a keen wit and a ready smile.
• She has a beautiful smile.
• She managed a weak smile.
• She returned his smile.
• She suppressed a mirthless smile.
• The little boy had a smile plastered across his face.
• They had to hide their smiles.
• a grim smile of satisfaction
• the warm smile in his eyes
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
smile
smile /smaɪl/
noun [C]
a facial expression in which the ends of the mouth curve up slightly, often with the lips moving apart so that the teeth can be seen:
Amy had a big/broad smile on her face.
She has a nice smile.
He winked and gave me a smile.
It's nice to be able to bring a smile to people's faces (= make people smile).
smile /smaɪl/
verb
1 [I or T] to make a happy or friendly expression in which the corners of your mouth curve up:
He smiled and shook my hand.
When he smiled at me I knew everything was all right.
Esme's so cheerful - she's always smiling.
I couldn't help smiling when I thought of how pleased she was going to be.
He smiled politely as Mary apologized for her drunken friends.
He smiled to himself as he thought about his new girlfriend.
He smiled the smile of a man who knew victory was within reach.
2 [T] to express or say something with a smile:
He smiled his congratulations and left without another word.
"Don't you worry about a thing. Everything's going to be just fine, " smiled Robin reassuringly.
smiley /ˈsmaɪ.li/
adjective smilier, smiliest INFORMAL
A smiley person or someone who has a smiley face looks friendly and smiles a lot.
smiling /ˈsmaɪ.lɪŋ/
adjective
having a smile:
I really miss seeing their happy smiling faces.
smilingly /ˈsmaɪ.lɪŋ.li/
adverb
If someone does something smilingly, they smile as they are doing it:
When I complained about how long we'd had to wait for our food, the bill was whisked away and smilingly returned without the service charge
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
smile
[sma͟ɪl]
smiles, smiling, smiled
1) VERB When you smile, the corners of your mouth curve up and you sometimes show your teeth. People smile when they are pleased or amused, or when they are being friendly.
When he saw me, he smiled and waved...
[V at n] He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled ruefully at me...
[V-ing] His smiling face appears on T-shirts, billboards, and posters.
2) N-COUNT A smile is the expression that you have on your face when you smile.
She gave a wry smile...
`There are some sandwiches if you're hungry,' she said with a smile...
She had a big smile on her face.
3) VERB If you smile something, you say it with a smile or express it by a smile.
[V with quote] `Aren't we daft?' she smiled...
[V n] She smiled her thanks and arranged the guitar under her arm.
4) VERB If you say that something such as fortune smiles on someone, you mean that they are lucky or successful. [LITERARY]
[V on/upon n] When fortune smiled on him, he made the most of it...
[V on/upon n] God is not smiling on our cause.
5) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that someone is all smiles, you mean that they look very happy, often when they have previously been worried or upset about something.
