smooth (redirected from smoothest)

*clear sailing and *smooth sailing

Fig. a situation where progress is made without any difficulty. (*Typically: be ~; have ~.) Once you've passed that exam, it will be clear sailing to graduation. Working there was not all smooth sailing. The boss had a very bad temper.

See also: clear, sailing

*smooth as glass and *smooth as silk

Cliché smooth and shiny. (often used to describe calm bodies of water. *Also: as ~.) The bay is as smooth as glass, so we should have a pleasant boat trip. This custard is smooth as silk.

See also: glass

course of true love never did run smooth

Prov. People in love with each other often have to overcome difficulties in order to be together. (From Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream.) Jill: What am I going to do? My boyfriend's job is transferring him to Texas, and I have to stay here. Jane: The course of true love never did run smooth.

See also: course, did, love, never, run, true

paper over the cracks (in something)

Fig. to try to hide faults or difficulties, often in a hasty or not very successful way. (Based on paper over something {2}.) The politician tried to paper over the cracks in his party's economic policy. Tom tried to paper over the cracks in his relationship with the boss, but it was not possible. She didn't explain it. She just papered over the cracks.

See also: crack, paper

smooth something away

to remove something, such as wrinkles or other unevenness, by pressing or smoothing. Jeff put the cloth on the table and smoothed the wrinkles away with his hand. Jeff smoothed away the wrinkles.

See also: away

smooth something back

to flatten and position something by pressing or smoothing. He smoothed his hair back out of his eyes. Jeff smoothed back his hair.

See also: back

smooth something down

to make something flat or smooth by pressing. she smoothed her skirt down, fluffed her hair, and went into the boardroom. Karen smoothed down the bedclothes.

smooth something onto someone or something and smooth something on

to spread or flatten something onto someone or something. Ted smoothed the suntan lotion onto Alice, who lay on a towel in the sand. He smoothed on some lotion.

smooth something out 

1. Lit. to flatten or even something by smoothing or pressing. Wally smoothed the bedspread out. Wally finished making the bed by smoothing out the spread.

2. Fig. to polish and refine something. The editor smoothed John's style out. You need to smooth out your delivery when you are speaking.

3. and smooth something over Fig. to reduce the intensity of an argument or a misunderstanding; to try to make people feel better about something disagreeable that has happened. (Fig. on {2}.) Mary and John had a terrible argument, and they are both trying to smooth it over. Let's get everyone together and try to smooth things out. We can't keep on arguing with one another. We can smooth over the whole affair.

See also: out

Take the rough with the smooth.

Prov. Accept difficult as well as easy times. Don't give up on your business just because you lost money this month. You have to take the rough with the smooth.

See also: rough, take

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paper/smooth over the cracks

to hide problems or faults, especially arguments between people, in order to make a situation seem better than it really is The two-party coalition has so far been successful in papering over the cracks. (sometimes + in ) I'm tired of smoothing over the cracks in our marriage - I want a divorce!

See also: crack, paper

smooth (somebody's) ruffled feathers

to try to make someone feel less angry or upset, especially after an argument I spent the afternoon smoothing ruffled feathers and trying to convince people to give the talks another chance.

See also: feather, ruffle

smooth the way for somebody/something   also smooth somebody's/something's way

to make it easier for someone to do something or for something to happen Parents can do a lot to smooth the way for their children when they start school. To smooth the bill's way through Congress, the President met with Republican leaders to hear their views.

See paper over the cracks

See also: way

take the rough with the smooth  (British & Australian)

to accept the unpleasant parts of a situation as well as the pleasant parts You have to be prepared to take the rough with the smooth in marriage.

See also: rough, take

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smooth out something also smooth something out

to make differences smaller The two countries are working hard to smooth out their disagreements. A monthly average of sales smooths the highs and lows out and gives a more accurate idea of business activity.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of smooth out (to make regular)

See also: out

smooth over something also smooth something over

to make problems seem less serious He's on a three-day visit to smooth over a crisis. They failed to agree on the main issue, and he certainly wasn't going to ignore it or try to smooth it over.

smooth the way for somebody/something also smooth somebody's/something's way

to make conditions easier for something to happen Parents can do a lot to smooth the way for their children when they start school. To smooth our way, many people offered to drive us to and from the hospital.

See also: way