smittle

English

Etymology

Frequentative from Middle English smitten (“to smear; smudge; stain; taint”), from Old English smittian (“to defile; pollute; befoul”). Cognate with German schmitzen (“to pollute”), Danish smitte (“to infect”). Related also to smite.

Verb

smittle (third-person singular simple present smittles, present participle smittling, simple past and past participle smittled)

1. (obsolete, UK, transitive) To infect.

Adjective

smittle

1. (obsolete, UK, dialect) Infectious.

Noun

smittle (plural smittles)

1. (obsolete, UK, dialect) An infection.

Related terms

• smit

References

• “smittle”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.