shmear
/ʃmɪr/
noun
- A spreadable food, especially cream cheese, used on bagels or other bread.
- I ordered a bagel with a generous shmear of cream cheese.
- She put a thick shmear of butter on her toast.
- The deli offers a variety of flavored shmears, like lox and dill.
- A bribe or illegal payment, especially in a business or political context.
- The investigation uncovered a shmear of cash to several officials.
- The contractor was accused of giving a shmear to the inspector.
- In the old days, a shmear could get your permit approved faster.
verb
- To spread a soft substance, such as cream cheese or butter, onto something.
- Can you shmear some butter on these rolls?
- He likes to shmear cream cheese on his bagel every morning.
- She carefully shmeared the frosting over the cake.
- To bribe or influence someone with money or favors.
- The lobbyist was known for shmearing politicians with campaign donations.
- They tried to shmear the judge to get a lighter sentence.
- He refused to shmear anyone, even to win the contract.