Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To blacken with smut; foul with soot.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To blacken with smut; to foul with soot.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To blacken with smut; foul with soot.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From be- +‎ smut. Compare Old English besmittian ("to pollute, defile").

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Examples

  • Hypocrisy and a spirit of error will so besmut God's ordinances, that he shall take no pleasure in them: but sincerity, and honesty in duties, will make even those circumstances that in themselves are indifferent, at least comely in the sight of men.

    Works of John Bunyan — Volume 02 John Bunyan 1658

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