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smarting

smart
S s

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [smahrt]
    • /smɑrt/
    • /smɑːt/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [smahrt]
    • /smɑrt/

Definitions of smarting word

  • verb without object smarting to be a source of sharp, local, and usually superficial pain, as a wound. 1
  • verb without object smarting to be the cause of a sharp, stinging pain, as an irritating application, a blow, etc. 1
  • verb without object smarting to feel a sharp, stinging pain, as in a wound. 1
  • verb without object smarting to suffer keenly from wounded feelings: She smarted under their criticism. 1
  • verb without object smarting to feel shame or remorse or to suffer in punishment or in return for something. 1
  • verb with object smarting to cause a sharp pain to or in. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of smarting

First appearance:

before 1050
One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1050; (v.) Middle English smerten, Old English -smeortan (only in the compound fyrsmeortende painful like fire), cognate with Old High German smerzan (German schmerzen); (adj.) Middle English smerte, smart quick, prompt, sharp, orig., biting, smarting, late Old English smearte, akin to the v.; (adv. and noun) Middle English smerte, derivative of the adj.

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Smarting

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

smarting popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 98% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

smarting usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for smarting

adj smarting

  • abscessed — a localized collection of pus in the tissues of the body, often accompanied by swelling and inflammation and frequently caused by bacteria.
  • aching — causing physical pain or distress: treatment for an aching back.
  • achy — If you feel achy, your body hurts.
  • anguished — Anguished means showing or feeling great mental suffering or physical pain.
  • burning — You use burning to describe something that is extremely hot.

noun smarting

  • bite — If you bite something, you use your teeth to cut into it, for example in order to eat it or break it. If an animal or person bites you, they use their teeth to hurt or injure you.
  • ache — If you ache or a part of your body aches, you feel a steady, fairly strong pain.

See also

Matching words

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