SMILE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does smile mean? 

• SMILE (noun)
  The noun SMILE has 1 sense:

1. a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

  Familiarity information: SMILE used as a noun is very rare.

• SMILE (verb)
  The verb SMILE has 2 senses:

1. change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

2. express with a smile

  Familiarity information: SMILE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SMILE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

grin; grinning; smile; smiling

Hypernyms ("smile" is a kind of...):

facial expression; facial gesture (a gesture executed with the facial muscles)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "smile"):

simper (a silly self-conscious smile)

smirk (a smile expressing smugness or scorn instead of pleasure)

Derivation:

smile (change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure)

smile (express with a smile)

• SMILE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they smile    ... he / she / it smiles   
Past simple: smiled   
Past participle: smiled   
-ing form: smiling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "smile" is one way to...):

grimace; make a face; pull a face (contort the face to indicate a certain mental or emotional state)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "smile"):

dimple (produce dimples while smiling)

grin (to draw back the lips and reveal the teeth, in a smile, grimace, or snarl)

beam (smile radiantly; express joy through one's facial expression)

simper; smirk (smile affectedly or derisively)

sneer (smile contemptuously)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

smile (a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement)

smiler (the human face ('kisser' and 'smiler' and 'mug' are informal terms for 'face' and 'phiz' is British))

smiler (a person who smiles)

smiling (a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Express with a smile

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

She smiled her thanks

Hypernyms (to "smile" is one way to...):

evince; express; show (give expression to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Derivation:

smile (a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement)

smiler (a person who smiles)

 Context examples 

She met me with her pleasant smile, and asked me how I liked the school.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

She smiled, and gave some message to an elderly man in white shirt-sleeves, who had followed her to the door.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He crosses alone from the smiling timber land and comes down into an open space among the trees.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

"We are prepared," said Mrs. March, smiling but looking a little anxious.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Weedon Scott smiled with a superior air, gained his feet, and walked over to White Fang.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

He next ordered Miss Brewster below, and smiled at the instant horror that leapt into her eyes.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He smiled quietly back at her.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

But they listened to my story with a smile.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Mrs Smith looked at her again, looked earnestly, smiled, shook her head, and exclaimed—Now, how I do wish I understood you!

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)