Library / English Dictionary

SMACK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of smacking something; a blow delivered with an open hand

Synonyms:

slap; smack; smacking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("smack" is a kind of...):

blow (a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "smack"):

spank (a slap with the flat of the hand)

Derivation:

smack (deliver a hard blow to)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An enthusiastic kiss

Synonyms:

smack; smooch

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("smack" is a kind of...):

buss; kiss; osculation (the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "smack"):

smacker (a loud kiss)

Derivation:

smack (kiss lightly)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Street names for heroin

Synonyms:

big H; hell dust; nose drops; scag; skag; smack; thunder

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("smack" is a kind of...):

diacetylmorphine; heroin (a narcotic that is considered a hard drug; a highly addictive morphine derivative; intravenous injection provides the fastest and most intense rush)

Domain usage:

street name (slang for something (especially for an illegal drug))

Sense 4

Meaning:

A sailing ship (usually rigged like a sloop or cutter) used in fishing and sailing along the coast

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("smack" is a kind of...):

sailing ship; sailing vessel (a vessel that is powered by the wind; often having several masts)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth

Synonyms:

flavor; flavour; nip; relish; sapidity; savor; savour; smack; tang

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("smack" is a kind of...):

gustatory perception; gustatory sensation; taste; taste perception; taste sensation (the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "smack"):

lemon (a distinctive tart flavor characteristic of lemons)

vanilla (a distinctive fragrant flavor characteristic of vanilla beans)

Derivation:

smack (have a distinctive or characteristic taste)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A blow from a flat object (as an open hand)

Synonyms:

slap; smack

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("smack" is a kind of...):

blow; bump (an impact (as from a collision))

Derivation:

smack (deliver a hard blow to)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Press (the lips) together and open (the lips) noisily, as in eating

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "smack" is one way to...):

emit; let loose; let out; utter (express audibly; utter sounds (not necessarily words))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Deliver a hard blow to

Example:

The teacher smacked the student who had misbehaved

Synonyms:

smack; thwack

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "smack" is one way to...):

hit (deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The fighter managed to smack his opponent

Derivation:

smack (the act of smacking something; a blow delivered with an open hand)

smack (a blow from a flat object (as an open hand))

smacker (a very powerful blow with the fist)

smacking (the act of smacking something; a blow delivered with an open hand)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Kiss lightly

Synonyms:

peck; smack

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "smack" is one way to...):

buss; kiss; osculate; snog (touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot smack Sue

Derivation:

smack (an enthusiastic kiss)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Have a distinctive or characteristic taste

Example:

This tastes of nutmeg

Synonyms:

smack; taste

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "smack" is one way to...):

savor; savour; taste (have flavor; taste of something)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

smack (the taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Have an element suggestive (of something)

Example:

this passage smells of plagiarism

Synonyms:

reek; smack; smell

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "smack" is one way to...):

evoke; paint a picture; suggest (call to mind)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

 III. (adverb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Directly

Example:

ran slap into her

Synonyms:

bang; bolt; slap; slapdash; smack

Classified under:

Adverbs

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

Credits

 Context examples: 

He wore rough clothes that smacked of the sea, and he was manifestly out of place in the spacious hall in which he found himself.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

But Mr. Thorpe only laughed, smacked his whip, encouraged his horse, made odd noises, and drove on; and Catherine, angry and vexed as she was, having no power of getting away, was obliged to give up the point and submit.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

It smacked of danger.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

On which, leaning forward, he caught his comrade a rousing smack across his rosy cheek.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As he came out of his room he heard the slosh of water, a sharp exclamation, and a resounding smack as his sister visited her irritation upon one of her numerous progeny.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

However, the horseman got off, took the silver, helped Hans up, gave him the bridle into one hand and the whip into the other, and said, When you want to go very fast, smack your lips loudly together, and cry Jip!

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Smack! smack! smack!

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As he called Peggotty Lass, and gave her a hearty smack on the cheek, I had no doubt, from the general propriety of her conduct, that he was her brother; and so he turned out—being presently introduced to me as Mr. Peggotty, the master of the house.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

How say you, Sir William, will you not try the smack of the famed Spanish swine, though we have but the brook water to wash it down?

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

What happened was so quick that I cannot set its sequence down in words, but I saw Jim make a quick stoop under the swinging arms, and at the same instant I heard a sharp, ringing smack, and there was Jim dancing about in the middle of the ring, and Berks lying upon his side on the floor, with his hand to his eye.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)