smile: [13] The Old English word for ‘smile’ was smearcian, ancestor of modern English smirk. This was descended ultimately from the Indo- European base *smei-, which also produced Greek meidos ‘laugh’, Sanskrit smeras ‘smiling’, Latvian smaidīt ‘smile’, and Russian smejat’ sja ‘laugh’. Smile, which from the 13th century began to push smirk towards the more specialized sense ‘smile in a self-satisfied way’, comes from the same base, and was probably borrowed from a Scandinavian source (Swedish has smila and Danish smile). => smirk
smile (v.)
c. 1300, perhaps from Middle Low German *smilen or a Scandinavian source (such as Danish smile "smile," Swedish smila "smile, smirk, simper, fawn"), from Proto-Germanic *smil-, extended form of PIE root *smei- "to laugh, smile" (cognates: Old English smerian "to laugh at, scorn," Old High German smieron "to smile," Latin mirus "wonderful," mirari "to wonder"). Related: Smiled; smiling.
Gradually pushed the usual Old English word, smearcian (modern smirk), into a specific, unpleasant sense. Of the eyes, from 1759. Figuratively, as indicating favor or encouragement, from c. 1400. Romance, Celtic, and Slavic languages tend to use a diminutive of the word for "laugh" to mean "smile" (such as Latin ridere "laugh;" subridere "smile"), perhaps literally "small laugh" or "low laugh."
smile (n.)
1560s, from smile (v.).
实用例句
1. The best thing to do when entering unknown territory is smile.
踏入未知地带最好的对策就是微笑。
来自美剧《凯莉日记》
2. Haley studied her, an enigmatic smile on his face.
黑利打量着她，脸上带着神秘的笑容。
来自柯林斯例句
3. The smile disappeared to be replaced by a doleful frown.
笑容消失了，取而代之的是哀伤的蹙眉。
来自柯林斯例句
4. She handed the cigar back to Jason with a self-satisfied smile.
她得意地笑着把雪茄给贾森递了回去。
来自柯林斯例句
5. He smiled, an odd, dreamy smile that sent chills up my back.
