/ smʌdʒ; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
a dirty mark with no clear shape
SYN smear :
a smudge of lipstick on a cup
■ verb
1.
to touch or rub sth, especially wet ink or paint, so that it is no longer clear; to become not clear in this way :
[ vn ]
He had smudged his signature with his sleeve.
Tears had smudged her mascara.
[ v ]
Her lipstick had smudged.
2.
[ vn ] to make a dirty mark on a surface
SYN smear :
The mirror was smudged with fingerprints.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (as a verb in the sense soil, stain ): of unknown origin. The noun dates from the late 18th cent.