SMIRK


Meaning of SMIRK in English

smirk /smɜːk $ smɜːrk/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]

[ Language: Old English ; Origin: smearcian 'to smile' ]

to smile in an unpleasant way that shows that you are pleased by someone else’s bad luck or think you are better than other people:

The boys tried not to smirk.

smirk at

What are you smirking at?

—smirk noun [countable] :

He had a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

• • •

THESAURUS

▪ smile to make your mouth curve upwards, in order to be friendly or because you are happy or amused:

She smiled when she read his email.

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‘I’m delighted to meet you,' George said, smiling at the girl.

▪ grin to give a big smile:

The two boys were grinning at each other.

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The coach was grinning from ear to ear (=was grinning a lot) when the team scored.

▪ beam to give a big happy smile for a long time, because you are very pleased or proud:

She beamed with pride as her son collected the award.

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The wedding couple were outside beaming at the camera.

▪ smirk to smile in an unpleasant way, for example because you are pleased about someone else’s bad luck or because you know something that someone else does not know:

The children smirked when the teacher dropped all the books on the floor.

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What are you smirking about?

▪ simper disapproving written to smile in a silly and annoying way:

a group of simpering schoolgirls

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I hated the way she simpered every time a man spoke to her.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.