smock

Meanings

Noun

• A type of undergarment worn by women; a shift or slip.
• A blouse; a smock frock.
• A loose garment worn as protection by a painter, etc.

Adjective

• Of or pertaining to a smock; resembling a smock
• Hence, of or pertaining to a woman.

Verb

• To provide with, or clothe in, a smock or a smock frock.
• To apply smocking.

Origin

• From Middle English smok, from Old English smocc, smoc, from Proto-Germanic *smukkaz ("something slipped into"); akin to Old High German smocho, Icelandic smokkur, and from the root of Old English smugan ("to creep"), akin to German schmiegen ("to cling to, press close"). Middle High German smiegen, Icelandic smjúga ("to creep through, to put on a garment which has a hole to put the head through"); compare with Lithuanian smukti ("to glide"). See also smug, smuggle.