SMIRK

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does smirk mean? 

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

1. a smile expressing smugness or scorn instead of pleasure

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

• SMIRK (verb)
  The verb SMIRK has 1 sense:

1. smile affectedly or derisively

  Familiarity information: SMIRK used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SMIRK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A smile expressing smugness or scorn instead of pleasure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

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

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

Derivation:

smirk (smile affectedly or derisively)

• SMIRK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they smirk    ... he / she / it smirks   
Past simple: smirked   
Past participle: smirked   
-ing form: smirking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Smile affectedly or derisively

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

simper; smirk

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

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

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

fleer (to smirk contemptuously)

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

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

smirker (a smiler whose smile is offensively self-satisfied)

 Context examples 

“Now I must give one smirk, and then we may be rational again.”

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

I only smirked and bowed, and said the word 'happy.'

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

A spear's length from him, they each threw a somersault into the air, and came down upon their feet with smirking faces and their hands over their hearts.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He smirked greasily up into the face of Wolf Larsen, who seemed not to see him.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He simpers, and smirks, and makes love to us all.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Do you think I don't know what a woeful day it was for the soft little creature when you first came in her way—smirking and making great eyes at her, I'll be bound, as if you couldn't say boh! to a goose!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

So upon that, he smirked, and simpered, and looked grave, and seemed to know something or other, and at last he said in a whisper, 'For fear any unpleasant report should reach the young ladies under your care as to their sister's indisposition, I think it advisable to say, that I believe there is no great reason for alarm; I hope Mrs. Dashwood will do very well.'

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

“An’ ’ow yer feelin’ now, sir?” he asked, with the subservient smirk which comes only of generations of tip-seeking ancestors.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The cook drew himself up in a smugly humble fashion, a deprecating smirk on his face.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He noticed my involuntary twitching and grimacing, and smirked: I only ’ope yer don’t ever ’ave to get used to such as that in this life, ’cos you’ve got a bloomin’ soft skin, that you ’ave, more like a lydy’s than any I know of.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)