SMOOTH OVER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does smooth over mean? 

• SMOOTH OVER (verb)
  The verb SMOOTH OVER has 1 sense:

1. treat hurriedly or avoid dealing with properly

  Familiarity information: SMOOTH OVER used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SMOOTH OVER (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Treat hurriedly or avoid dealing with properly

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

gloss over; skate over; skimp over; slur over; smooth over

Hypernyms (to "smooth over" is one way to...):

do by; handle; treat (interact in a certain way)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s something Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

 Context examples 

For the first seven miles Miss Bertram had very little real comfort: her prospect always ended in Mr. Crawford and her sister sitting side by side, full of conversation and merriment; and to see only his expressive profile as he turned with a smile to Julia, or to catch the laugh of the other, was a perpetual source of irritation, which her own sense of propriety could but just smooth over.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)