smut
Noun · VerbOpen English WordNet
Noun (5)
- a black colloidal substance consisting wholly or principally of amorphous carbon and used to make pigments and inkSynonyms: carbon blacklampblacksootcrockType of carbon, C
- destructive diseases of plants (especially cereal grasses) caused by fungi that produce black powdery masses of sporesType of plant diseaseKinds loose smut, bunt, flag smut, green smut
- any fungus of the order UstilaginalesSynonyms: smut fungusType of fungusKinds cornsmut, bunt, onion smut, flag smut fungus, covered smut, loose smut, Sphacelotheca, head smutMember of Ustilaginales, order Ustilaginales
- an offensive or indecent word or phraseSynonyms: obscenityvulgarismfilthdirty wordType of profanityKinds bawdry, scatology
- creative activity (writing or pictures or films etc.) of no literary or artistic value other than to stimulate sexual desireSynonyms: pornographypornoporneroticaType of creation, creative activityKinds japorn, child pornography
Verb (4)smutted, smutting
- make obscene“This line in the play smuts the entire act”More general change, alter
- stain with a dirty substance, such as sootMore general stain
- become affected with smut“the corn smutted and could not be eaten”More general mold, mildew
- affect with smut or mildew, as of a crop such as cornMore general infect, taint
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: Akin to Sw. smuts, Dan. smuds, MHG. smuz, G. schmutz, D. smet a spot or stain, smoddig, smodsig, smodderig, dirty, smodderen to smut; and probably to E. smite. See Smite, transitive verb, and cf. Smitt, Smutch.
1. Foul matter, like soot or coal dust; also, a spot or soil made by such matter.
2. Mining Bad, soft coal, containing much earthy matter, found in the immediate locality of faults.
3. Botany An infection of cereal grains producing a swelling which is at length resolved into a powdery sooty mass. It is caused by parasitic fungi of the genus Ustilago. Ustilago segetum, or Ustilago Carbo, is the commonest kind; that of Indian corn is Ustilago maydis.
4. Obscene language; ribaldry; obscenity.
He does not stand upon decency... but will talk smut, though a priest and his mother be in the room.— Joseph Addison
Smut mill, a machine for cleansing grain from smut.
1. To stain or mark with smut; to blacken with coal, soot, or other dirty substance.
2. To taint with mildew, as grain. Francis, Baron Verulam Bacon
3. To blacken; to sully or taint; to tarnish.
4. To clear of smut; as, to smut grain for the mill.
1. To gather smut; to be converted into smut; to become smutted. John Mortimer
2. To give off smut; to crock.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54