smearcian

Old English

Alternative forms

• smercian

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *smarukōn, *smarikōn, derived from Proto-Germanic *smarōną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsmæ͜ɑr.ki.ɑn/, [ˈsmæ͜ɑrˠ.ki.ɑn]

Verb

smearcian

1. to smile

   Iċ bewende mē on mīnum setle and ġeseah þone cniht wiþ mīn smearciendne swelċe hē mē cūðe.

   I turned around in my seat and saw the boy smiling at me as if he knew me.

   • c. 996, Ælfric's Lives of Saints

     Þā hēo þis ġehīerde, þā smearcode hēo wiþ his weardes, þus cweðende, "Ġelīef mē, ne ġeseah iċ nānne mann būtan þē, oþþe wilddēor, oþþe ǣniġes cynnes nīeten, siþþan iċ Iordanēn oferfērde and iċ hider on þās wēstenne becōm."

     When she heard this, she smiled in his direction and said, "Believe me, I haven't seen anyone besides you, or wild animals, or any kind of animal, since I crossed the Jordan and came here to this wasteland."

Conjugation

Conjugation of smearcian (weak class 2)

infinitive	smearcian	smearcienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	smearciġe	smearcode
second person singular	smearcast	smearcodest
third person singular	smearcaþ	smearcode
plural	smearciaþ	smearcodon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	smearciġe	smearcode
plural	smearciġen	smearcoden
imperative
singular	smearca
plural	smearciaþ
participle	present	past
	smearciende	(ġe)smearcod

Descendants

• Middle English: smirken
  • Scots: smirk
  • English: smirk