Smocian

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. An Old English verb meaning to give off smoke or to produce a cloud of fumes while burning
2. An early English word for emitting smoke, the ancestor of the modern verb meaning to smoke
3. In Old English, to send out smoke or reek as a fire does when it burns

Etymology: Smocian is an Old English verb meaning "to work, to labour, to perform" in the sense of crafting something with skill, and it is the ancestor of the modern English "smock" family of words only in a loose way. The word survives in Old English texts as a verb of craftsmanship, closely tied to the idea of intricate needlework. Its closest modern descendant is "smock," the loose garment, which comes from the same Germanic root that produced the verb: a smock was originally a shirt or undergarment, and the word's connection to stitching and handiwork is the thread linking the two. The verb is attested in Old English, and its use centred on the production of finely made goods, particularly work done with a needle. Over time the verb fell out of use, while the noun "smock" persisted for centuries, eventually naming the outer frock worn by farm labourers and artists. The surviving noun has largely displaced the verb in everyday speech.