Etimology
From Middle English smilen (“to smile”), from Old Norse *smíla (“to smile”), from Proto-Germanic *smīlijaną, *smirōną (“to smile”), from Proto-Indo-European *smey- (“to laugh, be glad, wonder”). Cognate with Danish smile, Swedish smila, Faroese smíla (“to smile”); also Saterland Frisian smielje (“to smile”), Low German smielen (“to smile”), Dutch smuilen (“to smile”), Middle High German smielen (“to smile”). Related also to Old High German smierōn (“to smile”), Old English smerian (“to laugh at”), Old English smercian, smearcian ("to smile"; > English smirk), Latin mīror (“to wonder at”).
noun
smile (plural smiles)
A facial expression comprised by flexing the muscles of both ends of one's mouth, often showing the front teeth, without vocalisation, and in humans is a common involuntary or voluntary expression of happiness, pleasure, amusement, goodwill, or anxiety.
(figurative) Favour; propitious regard.
(slang, dated) A drink bought by one person for another.
Examples
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:smile
She's got a perfect smile.
He has a sinister smile.
She had a smile on her face.
He always puts a smile on my face.
Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. […] She looked around expectantly, and recognizing Mrs. Cooke's maid […] Miss Thorn greeted her with a smile which greatly prepossessed us in her favor.
Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile; he could not tell what this prisoner might do.
the smile of the gods
Synonym: treat
verb
smile (third-person singular simple present smiles, present participle smiling, simple past and past participle smiled)
(transitive, intransitive) To have (a smile) on one's face.
(transitive) To express by smiling.
(intransitive) To express amusement, pleasure, or love and kindness.
(intransitive) To look cheerful and joyous; to have an appearance suited to excite joy.
(intransitive) To be propitious or favourable; to countenance.
Examples
When you smile, the whole world smiles with you.
I don't know what he's smiling about.
She smiles a beautiful smile.
“ […] This is Mr. Churchill, who, as you are aware, is good enough to come to us for his diaconate, and, as we hope, for much longer; and being a gentleman of independent means, he declines to take any payment.” Saying this Walden rubbed his hands together and smiled contentedly.
Once I was a young man / And all I thought I had to do was smile
If a man smiles all the time he's probably selling something that doesn't work.
She adds: "We have two mottos at Kingston which we've stuck to the window in the ticket office. One says 'If you can be anything in the world then be kind', while the other reads: 'Smile while you've still got teeth'.
to smile consent, or a welcome
I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town. I was completely mystified at such an unusual proceeding.
When last I saw thy young blue eyes, they smiled.
The sun smiled down from a clear summer sky.
The gods smiled on his labours.