What's the past tense of "to smite"?
Nov. 19th, 2003 01:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rubyredrosesmite
v. smote, (smt) smit·ten, (smtn) or smote smit·ing, smites
v. tr.
1.
a. To inflict a heavy blow on, with or as if with the hand, a tool, or a weapon.
b. To drive or strike (a weapon, for example) forcefully onto or into something else.
2. To attack, damage, or destroy by or as if by blows.
3.
a. To afflict: The population was smitten by the plague.
b. To afflict retributively; chasten or chastise.
4. To affect sharply with great feeling: He was smitten by deep remorse.
Thus: One can be smitten, or be the one who is smiting, but either way, once yer done, you've been smote.
v. smote, (smt) smit·ten, (smtn) or smote smit·ing, smites
v. tr.
1.
a. To inflict a heavy blow on, with or as if with the hand, a tool, or a weapon.
b. To drive or strike (a weapon, for example) forcefully onto or into something else.
2. To attack, damage, or destroy by or as if by blows.
3.
a. To afflict: The population was smitten by the plague.
b. To afflict retributively; chasten or chastise.
4. To affect sharply with great feeling: He was smitten by deep remorse.
Thus: One can be smitten, or be the one who is smiting, but either way, once yer done, you've been smote.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2003-11-19 12:08 am (UTC)but a good beating is a smote!
(with apologies to Rudyard Kipling/Groucho Marx)