Smite (impf. smote; partic. smit in Tim. II, 1, 23; smote or, in the spelling of O. Edd., smot, in LLL IV, 3, 28 and Cor. III, 1, 319) 1) to strike, to reach with a stroke or throw: “they smote the air,” Tp. IV, 172. “I will s. his noddles,” Wiv. III, 1, 128 (Evans' speech). “when their fresh rays have smote the night of dew,” LLL IV, 3, 28. “our aediles smote,” Cor. III, 1, 319. “my reliances . . . have smit my credit,” Tim. II, 1, 23. “and smote him thus,” Oth. V, 2, 356. “the next Caesarion s.” Ant. III, 13, 162. “a grief that --s my very heart at root,” V, 2, 104 (O. Edd. suits). With an accus. denoting an effect: “s. flat the thick rotundity o' the world,” Lr. III, 2, 7 (Ff strike). “it --s me beneath the fall I have,” Ant. V, 2, 171.
2) to strike, to drive, to make to come down: “his falchion on a flint he softly --th,” Lucr. 176. “he smote the sledded pole-axe on the ice,” Hml. I, 1, 63 (cf. Sledded).
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
This text was converted to electronic form by professional data entry and has been proofread to a high level of accuracy.
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