smooth over

smooth over
verb
treat hurriedly or avoid dealing with properly (Freq. 2)
Syn: ↑gloss over, ↑skate over, ↑slur over, ↑skimp over
Hypernyms: ↑treat, ↑handle, ↑do by
Verb Frames:
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Something ——s something Adjective/Noun

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Somebody ——s something

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Somebody ——s somebody

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ˌsmooth ˈover [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they smooth over he/she/it smoothes over present participle smoothing over past tense smoothed over past participle smoothed over] phrasal verb
to make a problem seem less serious

He’s trying to smooth over differences between the two leaders.

Thesaurus: to successfully deal with a problem or difficultysynonym
Main entry: smooth

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smooth over [phrasal verb]
smooth (something) over or smooth over (something) : to make (a disagreement, problem, difficulty, etc.) seem less serious than it really is

Don't worry about missing the application deadline–we'll smooth that over with the office.

She smoothed over the objections to his candidacy.

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Main Entry:smooth

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • smooth over — (something) to make problems seem less serious. He s on a three day visit to smooth over a crisis. They failed to agree on the main issue, and he certainly wasn t going to ignore it or try to smooth it over …   New idioms dictionary

  • smooth over — index disarm (set at ease) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • smooth over — phrasal verb [transitive] Word forms smooth over : present tense I/you/we/they smooth over he/she/it smoothes over present participle smoothing over past tense smoothed over past participle smoothed over to make a problem seem less serious He s… …   English dictionary

  • smooth over — PHRASAL VERB If you smooth over a problem or difficulty, you make it less serious and easier to deal with, especially by talking to the people concerned. [V P n (not pron)] ...an attempt to smooth over the violent splits that have occurred... [V… …   English dictionary

  • smooth over — {v.} To make something seem better or more pleasant; try to excuse. * /Bill tried to smooth over his argument with Mary by making her laugh./ Syn.: GLOSS OVER. Compare: PATCH UP …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • smooth over — {v.} To make something seem better or more pleasant; try to excuse. * /Bill tried to smooth over his argument with Mary by making her laugh./ Syn.: GLOSS OVER. Compare: PATCH UP …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • smooth\ over — v To make something seem better or more pleasant; try to excuse. Bill tried to smooth over his argument with Mary by making her laugh. Syn.: gloss over Compare: patch up …   Словарь американских идиом

  • smooth over something — smooth over (something) to make problems seem less serious. He s on a three day visit to smooth over a crisis. They failed to agree on the main issue, and he certainly wasn t going to ignore it or try to smooth it over …   New idioms dictionary

  • smooth over the cracks — paper/smooth over the cracks to hide problems or faults, especially arguments between people, in order to make a situation seem better than it really is. The two party coalition has so far been successful in papering over the cracks. I m tired of …   New idioms dictionary

  • smooth over — I (Roget s IV) v. Syn. conceal, cover up, hush up; see hide 1 . II (Roget s Thesaurus II) I verb To bring (something) into a state of agreement or accord: reconcile, rectify, resolve, settle, straighten out. See AGREE. II verb See SMOOTH …   English dictionary for students

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