Smite \Smite\ (sm[imac]t), v. t. [imp. Smote (sm[=o]t), rarely
Smit (sm[i^]t); p. p. Smitten (sm[i^]t"t'n), rarely
Smit, or Smote; p. pr. & vb. n. Smiting
(sm[imac]t"[i^]ng).]
[AS. sm[=i]tan to smite, to soil,
pollute; akin to OFries. sm[=i]ta to smite, LG. smiten, D.
smijten, G. schmeissen, OHG. sm[=i]zan to smear, stroke, OSw.
& dial. Sw. smita to smite, Dan. smide to throw, Goth.
bismeitan, to anoint, besmear; cf. Skr. m[=e]d to be fat. The
original sense seems to have been, to daub on, to smear. Cf.
Smut.]
1. To strike; to inflict a blow upon with the hand, or with
any instrument held in the hand, or with a missile thrown
by the hand; as, to smite with the fist, with a rod,
sword, spear, or stone.
Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn
to him the other also. --Matt. v. 39.
And David . . . took thence a stone, and slang it,
and smote the Philistine in his forehead. --1 Sam.
xvii. 49.
2. To cause to strike; to use as an instrument in striking or
hurling.
Prophesy, and smite thine hands together. --Ezek.
xxi. 14.
Saul . . . smote the javelin into the wall. --1 Sam.
xix. 10.
3. To destroy the life of by beating, or by weapons of any
kind; to slay by a blow; to kill; as, to smite one with
the sword, or with an arrow or other instrument.
4. To put to rout in battle; to overthrow by war.
5. To blast; to destroy the life or vigor of, as by a stroke
or by some visitation.
The flax and the barly was smitten. --Ex. ix. 31.
6. To afflict; to chasten; to punish.
Let us not mistake God's goodness, nor imagine,
because he smites us, that we are forsaken by him.
--Wake.
7. To strike or affect with passion, as love or fear.
The charms that smite the simple heart. --Pope.
Smit with the love of sister arts we came. --Pope.
To smite off, to cut off.
To smite out, to knock out, as a tooth. --Exod. xxi. 27.
To smite with the tongue, to reproach or upbraid; to
revile. [Obs.]
--Jer. xviii. 18.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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