Smutched

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. To make an object or surface dirty or stained with a small amount of grime or smudge
2. To spoil the cleanliness or neatness of something by adding a minor stain or dirt mark
3. To soil slightly with smears or marks that detract from the original cleanness

Etymology: "Smutched" is the past form of "smutch," a verb meaning to mark something with a small smear of dirt or soot. The verb itself is uncertain in origin. It may be an alteration of "smudge," "smatch," or "smooch," with the sound pattern of these related words blending into one form, though no single source can be pinned down with confidence. Since the verb's origin is unclear, the most useful point is its place among a cluster of similar English words. "Smudge," "smutch," and "smut" all carry the idea of dirt or soot left behind on a surface, and the shared "sm" opening gives them a family resemblance that readers will recognize. "Smut," meaning a speck of soot, is the noun most closely tied to the sense of "smutch."

Synonyms: smudged, stained, blemished, tainted, marked

Antonyms: cleaned, purified, cleared, polished, spotless