smile

plastic smile

A forced, artificial smile; a smile someone wears despite having no feelings of happiness or joy. John seemed fine at first glance, but before long, I could tell that he was wearing a plastic smile and that something was bothering him. Look at that his big plastic smile—he's such a conman! I sure hope he doesn't win the election.

fortune is smiling (up)on (someone)

Someone is especially lucky, fortunate, or successful; good things tend to happen to someone. I hear that Jenny just won some major award, so soon after her huge promotion. It seems that fortune is smiling on her at the moment! Fortune has been smiling upon my younger brother since he was little: things have just always worked out for the best for him.

fortune smiles (up)on someone

Someone is especially lucky, fortunate, or successful; good things tend to happen to someone. I hear that Jenny just won some major award, so soon after her huge promotion. It seems that fortune smiles on her at the moment! If you're going into business for yourself, just remember that fortune smiles upon those who are willing to take risks.

break into a smile

To start smiling. Even though she scolded me for disrupting class, I'm pretty sure I saw Ms. Miller break into a smile for a second.

all smiles

Visibly happy or cheerful. I know Allison had a rough week, but she was all smiles when I saw her today. My sweet little daughter has the best disposition—she's always all smiles!

See also: all, smile

be all smiles

To be visibly happy or cheerful (sometimes to hide inner turmoil). When I saw Allison today, she was all smiles. I had no idea that her grandmother died. My sweet little daughter has the best disposition—she's all smiles all the time!

See also: all, smile

crack a smile

to grin; to smile. I was tellin' my best jokes, but Jim never cracked a smile. She looked surprised, and then cracked a big, beautiful smile.

flash a smile (at someone)

Fig. to smile quickly and perhaps briefly at someone. She flashed a smile at me as if she recognized me.

grin from ear to ear

Fig. to smile a very wide, beaming smile. She was grinning from ear to ear as she accepted the prize. We knew Timmy was happy because he was grinning from ear to ear.

Keep smiling.

a good-bye phrase encouraging someone to have good spirits. John: Things are really getting tough. Sue: Well, just keep smiling. Things will get better. Bill: What a day! I'm exhausted and depressed. Bob: Not to worry. Keep smiling. Things will calm down.

put a smile on someone's face

Fig. to please someone; to make someone happy. We are going to give Andy a pretty good raise, and I know that'll put a smile on his face. The surprise birthday party really put a smile on my dad's face.

smile at someone

to make a smiling face at someone. I love the way you smile at me. I am glad you smile at me occasionally.

smile on someone or something

to be favorable to someone or something. Fate smiled on me and I got the job. Lady luck smiled on our venture and we made a profit.

See also: on, smile

smile (up)on someone or something

to bestow approval on someone or something. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) Fate has smiled upon me at last! I wish good luck would smile on me.

See also: on, smile

smile when you say that

Inf. I will interpret that remark as a joke or as kidding. John: You're a real pain in the neck. Bob: Smile when you say that. Sue: I'm going to bop you on the head! John: Smile when you say that!

smiling like a Cheshire cat

Fig. smiling very broadly. (Alludes to a grinning cat in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.) There he stood, smiling like a Cheshire cat, waiting for his weekly pay.

grin from ear to ear

also smile from ear to ear

to give a very big smile He was grinning from ear to ear, as if he had just won the lottery.

wipe the smile off your face

also wipe that smile off your face

to stop looking happy or pleased You'll feel so good, you won't be able to wipe the smile off your face.

all smiles

very happy My boss has been all smiles lately, but I keep wondering why!

See also: all, smile

crack a smile

(informal)

to smile, especially when you do not feel like smiling (usually negative) The man barely cracked a smile at his friend's joke.

grin/smile from ear to ear

to look extremely happy (usually in continuous tenses) We've had a fantastic response,' he said, grinning from ear to ear.

be all smiles

to look very happy and friendly, especially when other people are not expecting you to She spent the whole of yesterday shouting at people and yet this morning she's all smiles.

See also: all, smile

wipe the smile off somebody's face

to make someone feel less happy or confident, especially someone who is annoying you because they think they are very clever Tell him you saw Helena at the cinema with another guy - that should wipe the smile off his face.

See wipe the floor with

crack a smile

Smile, as in Betty was a very serious person; she rarely cracked a smile. This colloquialism transfers crack in the sense of "break" to breaking a serious facial expression into a smile.

smile on

Look with favor or approval on, as in The current administration smiles on anyone who gives it helpful publicity. [c. 1400]

See also: on, smile

smile on

To regard someone or something with favor or approval: Good fortune smiled on our efforts, and our plan succeeded.

See also: on, smile

plumber’s smile

and working man’s smile

n. the upper part of the gluteal cleft (crack sense 1) visible above the beltline of a man, bent over at work. I came into the kitchen and was greeted by a plumber’s smile owned by some guy working under the sink. She referred to the overexposure of his rear end over his belt as the “working man’s smile.”

working man’s smile

verb

See plumber’s smile

put a smile on someone’s face

tv. to please someone; to make someone happy. We are going to give Andy a pretty good raise, and I know that’ll put a smile on his face.

smile

and smiler and smiley

n. a drink of liquor; liquor. Come over and join me for a smiley.

Smile when you say that

sent. Give some sort of a signal that you are only joking when you say something potentially offensive. I told him he’d better smile when he says that, or he’s going to get in trouble.

wearing (nothing but) a smile

tv. naked. This doll came on stage and within ten minutes she was wearing nothing but a smile.

wearing a smile

verb

See wearing nothing but a smile

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Lynda	LIN-də	English
Henriette	awn-ree-ET (French), hen-ree-E-tə (German), hen-ree-ED-de (Danish), hen-ree-ET-te (Norwegian)	French, German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian
Carroll	-	Irish
Busby	['hʌzbi]
Dawud	-	Arabic
Gena (2)	-	Russian