smooth (v.) Copy link Outline I. To remove roughness from a surface1. lēvo, 12. allēvo, 1 (only in Colum.) to s. knots and scars, nodos et circatrices a., Col. 3, 15, 3.3. lēvĭgo, 1 (of making smooth with a knife, file, pumice-stone, chalk, etc.4. pŏlio, īvi and ii, ītum, 4 (like levigo)5. līmo, 1 (to file)6. runcīno, 1 (to plane)7. rādo, rāsi, rāsum, 3 (to s. off)8. sterno., stravi, strātum, 3 (to spread out flat, fig.)II. To s. away obstacles, to facilitate1. sterno, strāvi, strātum, 32. complāno, 1III. To palliate, smooth a faultIV. To flatter (Shakesp.) • smooth (v.): I. To remove roughness from a surface: 1. lēvo, 1: to s. tables, l. mensas, Stat. Th. 1, 519. Join: to s. beams, l. ac radere tigna, Lucr. 5, 1265. 2. allēvo, 1 (only in Colum.) to s. knots and scars, nodos et circatrices a., Col. 3, 15, 3. 3. lēvĭgo, 1 (of making smooth with a knife, file, pumice-stone, chalk, etc.: so polio, infr.): all the walls are s.'d with plaster, omnes parietes tectorio levigantur, Varr. R. R. 3, 11, 3, med.: for s.ing the skin, ad levigandam cutem, Plin. 20, 3., 10, § 20. 4. pŏlio, īvi and ii, ītum, 4 (like levigo): to s. dove-cotes with plaster, p. columbarum cellas tectorio, Col. 8, 8: v. to polish. 5. līmo, 1 (to file): v. to file. 6. runcīno, 1 (to plane): v. to plane. 7. rādo, rāsi, rāsum, 3 (to s. off): to s. (or polish) stones, r. lapides, Hor. S. 2, 4, 83: v. supr. (I.): v. to shave off. 8. sterno., stravi, strātum, 3 (to spread out flat, fig.): to s. the surface of the waters, s. aequor aquis, Virg. Aen. 8, 89: cf. placidi straverunt aequora venti, ib. 5, 763: to s. (or pave) a path through the sea, sternere viam per mare, Lucr. 3, 1042: cf. tranquillo, etc. (v. to calm). Phr.: paper s.'d with a tooth, charta dentata, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 15: Plin. 13, 12, 25., § 81: s.'d with pumice, morsu pumicis politus, Mart. 8, 72, 2: also, pumicatus, e. g. p. manus, Mart. 5, 41, 6: to s. the brow (i.e. cheer up), frontem remittere (opp. frontem adducere), Plin. Ep. 2, 5, ad med.: fr. exporrigere, Ter. Ad. 5, 3, 53: fr. explicare, Hor. Od. 3, 29, 16: fr. solvere, Mart. 14, 183. See also to level, and for other senses, to soften. [N.B.--For to s. linen, v. to iron, to mangle (II.).] II. To s. away obstacles, to facilitate: 1. sterno, strāvi, strātum, 3: fame propitious hath s.'d a kindly path for thee, praesens tibi fama benignum stravit iter, Stat. Th. 12, 813: cf. aditus, iter expedire, Caes.: so munio, praemunio (v. to pave): v. to facilitate. 2. complāno, 1: Join: to s. (or render tolerable) the rough, the harsh, c. et mollire aspera, dura, Sen. Prov. 5, fin.: see also to alleviate, mitigate, soothe (I.). Phr.: these difficulties were s.'d away by two circumstances, his difficultatibus duae res erant subsidio, Caes. B. G. 2, 20. III. To palliate, smooth a fault: v. to palliate, extenuate. IV. To flatter (Shakesp.): v. to flatter.