| smoky | 1. Emitting smoke, especially. In large quantities or in an offensive manner; fumid; as, smoky fires. 2. Having the appearance or nature of smoke; as, a smoky fog. "Unlustrous as the smoky light." 3. Filled with smoke, or with a vapor resembling smoke; thick; as, a smoky atmosphere. 4. Subject to be filled with smoke from chimneys or fireplace; as, a smoky house. 5. Tarnished with smoke; noisome with smoke; as, smoky rafters; smoky cells. 6. Suspicious; open to suspicion. <chemical> Smoky quartz, a variety of quartz crystal of a pale to dark smoky-brown colour. See Quartz. Origin: Smokier; Smokiest. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| smoldering leukaemia | A condition in which the bone marrow does not function normally. It does not produce enough blood cells. This condition may progress and become acute leukaemia. Smoldering leukaemia also is called myelodysplastic syndrome or preleukaemia. (12 Dec 1998) |
| smolt | <marine biology> Juvenile salmonid one or more years old that has undergone physiological changes to cope with a marine environment, the seaward migration stage of an anadromous salmonid. (09 Oct 1997) |
| smoltification | <marine biology> Suite of physiological, morphological, biochemical and behavioural changes, including development of the silvery colour of adults and a tolerance for seawater, that take place in salmonid parr as they prepare to migrate downstream and enter the sea. (09 Oct 1997) |
| smooth | 1. Having an even surface, or a surface so even that no roughness or points can be perceived by the touch; not rough; as, smooth glass; smooth porcelain. "The outlines must be smooth, imperceptible to the touch, and even, without eminence or cavities." (Dryden) 2. Evenly spread or arranged; sleek; as, smooth hair. 3. Gently flowing; moving equably; not ruffled or obstructed; as, a smooth stream. 4. Flowing or uttered without check, obstruction, or hesitation; not harsh; voluble; even; fluent. "The only smooth poet of those times." (Milton) "Waller was smooth; but Dryden taught to join The varying verse, the full-resounding line." (Pope) "When sage Minerva rose, From her sweet lips smooth elocution flows." (Gay) 5. Bland; mild; smoothing; fattering. "This smooth discourse and mild behavior oft Conceal a traitor." (Addison) 6. <mechanics> Causing no resistance to a body sliding along its surface; frictionless. Smooth is often used in the formation of selfexplaining compounds; as, smooth-bodied, smooth-browed, smooth-combed, smooth-faced, smooth-finished, smooth-gliding, smooth-grained, smooth-leaved, smooth-sliding, smooth-speaking, smooth-woven, and the like. Synonym: Even, plain, level, flat, polished, glossy, sleek, soft, bland, mild, soothing, voluble, flattering, adulatory, deceptive. Origin: OE. Smothe, smethe, AS. Smethe, smoe<edt/e, where e, oe, come from an older o; cf. LG. Smode, smoe, smodig; of uncertain origin. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| smooth chorion | The portion of the chorion from which the villi disappear in the later stages of pregnancy. Synonym: smooth chorion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth colony | A bacterial colony with a glistening, rounded surface; this type of colony is usually associated with increased virulence with respect to that of rough colony's. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth diet | A diet containing little roughage; used primarily in diseases of the colon. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth endoplasmic reticulum | <cell biology> An internal membrane structure of the eukaryotic cell. Biochemically similar to the rough endoplasmic reticulum, but lacks the ribosome binding function. Tends to be tubular rather than sheet like, may be separate from the rough endoplasmic reticulum or may be an extension of it. Abundant in cells concerned with lipid metabolism and proliferates in hepatocytes when animals are challenged with lipophilic drugs. Acronym: SER (18 Nov 1997) |
| smooth leprosy | A benign, stable, and resistant form of the disease in which the lepromin reaction is strongly positive and in which the lesions are erythematous, insensitive, infiltrated plaques with clear-cut edges. Synonym: nodular leprosy, smooth leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth microsome | <cell biology> Fraction produced by ultracentrifugation of a cellular homogenate. It consists of membrane vesicles derived largely from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Origin: Gr. Soma = body (18 Nov 1997) |
| smooth muscle | <anatomy, pathology, physiology> Muscle tissue in vertebrates made up from long tapering cells that may be anything from 20-500m long. Smooth muscle is generally involuntary and differs from striated muscle in the much higher actin/myosin ratio, the absence of conspicuous sarcomeres and the ability to contract to a much smaller fraction of its resting length. Smooth muscle cells are found particularly in blood vessel walls, surrounding the intestine (particularly the gizzard in birds) and in the uterus. The contractile system and its control resemble those of motile tissue cells (e.g. Fibroblasts, leucocytes) and antibodies against smooth muscle myosin will cross react with myosin from tissue cells, whereas antibodies against skeletal muscle myosin will not. See: dense bodies. (18 Nov 1997) |
| smooth muscle relaxant | An agent, such as an antispasmodic, bronchodilator, or vasodilator, that reduces the tension or tone of smooth (involuntary) muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth muscle tissue | <anatomy, pathology, physiology> Muscle tissue in vertebrates made up from long tapering cells that may be anything from 20-500m long. Smooth muscle is generally involuntary and differs from striated muscle in the much higher actin/myosin ratio, the absence of conspicuous sarcomeres and the ability to contract to a much smaller fraction of its resting length. Smooth muscle cells are found particularly in blood vessel walls, surrounding the intestine (particularly the gizzard in birds) and in the uterus. The contractile system and its control resemble those of motile tissue cells (e.g. Fibroblasts, leucocytes) and antibodies against smooth muscle myosin will cross react with myosin from tissue cells, whereas antibodies against skeletal muscle myosin will not. See: dense bodies. (18 Nov 1997) |
| smooth muscle tumour | A tumour composed of smooth muscle tissue, as opposed to leiomyoma, a tumour derived from smooth muscle. (12 Dec 1998) |