smite — to strike or hit forcefully; to defeat decisively; to affect suddenly with deep feeling
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to strike or hit forcefully; to defeat decisively; to affect suddenly with deep feeling
Pronunciation (IPA): /smaɪt/
Example Sentences
- He was completely smitten with his new gaming laptop
- The ancient god would smite those who disobeyed
- She was smitten by his terrible dad jokes
smite
VERB[/smaɪt/]
to strike or hit forcefully; to defeat decisively; to affect suddenly with deep feeling
The hero raised his sword to smite the dragon in one mighty blow.
Smite with divine light and holy might!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Smite derives from Old English 'smītan', a strong verb originally meaning 'to strike' or 'to hit'. The word has evolved in modern usage, with the past participle 'smitten' (meaning 'enamored' or 'captivated') becoming more commonly used than the base verb itself.
Breakdown
Old English 'smītan' (to strike) evolved into Middle English 'smite', with the past participle form 'smitten' undergoing semantic shift from literal striking to figurative emotional impact (as in 'smitten with love').
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“He was completely smitten with his new gaming laptop”
“The ancient god would smite those who disobeyed”
“She was smitten by his terrible dad jokes”
📚Related Words
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