verb (used with object)
- to smear all over; bedaub.
- to sully; defile; soil: to besmear someone’s reputation.
verb (tr)
- to smear over; daub
- to sully; defile (often in the phrase besmear (a person’s) reputation)
Old English bismierwan, besmyrwan (West Saxon), besmerwan (Anglian); see be- + smear (v.). Related: Besmeared; besmearing.