Simper vs. smirk
Marius Hancu
"To simper" vs. "to smirk"
When would you use which?
The definitions I've found don't help me very much, and this is the
best synonym separation sources I know:
http://tinyurl.com/3vl8ffl
--
Thanks,
Marius Hancu
Mark Brader
> "To simper" vs. "to smirk"
> When would you use which?
To me, "smirk" implies an expression that indicates an attitude of
gloating at one's own perceived success or superiority in comparison
to the person being smirked at. Anyone who smirks a lot is not a
nice person.
"Simper" is not a word I use myself. The first online dictionary
I checked describes it in part as a coquettish smile, and that
agrees with my understanding. It may still be a self-interested
sort of smile, but it's not as much so as a smirk.
--
Mark Brader There are people on that train!
Toronto Sure, they're Canadians, but they're still people!
m...@vex.net -- Paul Gross, "Due South"
Stephen
To me, "simper", a word I don't hear much these days, has not much of a
smile in it and more a connotation of childishness, while "smirk" has
connotations of smiling with smugness or a nasty (distasteful) kind of
cruel or salacious humour.
--
Stephen
Ballina, NSW
Horace LaBadie
<b8570ea7-ebc8-4d2e...@t16g2000vbi.googlegroups.com>,
Marius Hancu <marius...@gmail.com> wrote:
There is an implication of falsity and pouting to a simper. Smirk is an
offensively self-satisfied, smug or condescending smile. Simper is more
often applied to females than males.
bert
> Hello:
>
> "To simper" vs. "to smirk"
> When would you use which?
A simperer, although acting falsely,
is trying to please somebody else.
A smirker is pleased with himself, and
expects this to displease somebody else.
--
Marius Hancu
> > "To simper" vs. "to smirk"
> > When would you use which?
>
> A simperer, although acting falsely,
> is trying to please somebody else.
>
> A smirker is pleased with himself, and
> expects this to displease somebody else.
This resonates strongest with me.
Thank you all.
Marius Hancu
Peter Duncanson (BrE)
I agree.
OED is of limited help. The usages of the words have changed with time.
The definition of simper includes smirk, and the definition of smirk
includes simper.
smirk, v.
1.a. intr. To smile; in later use, to smile in an affected,
self-satisfied, or silly manner; to simper.
simper, v.2
1.a. intr. To smile in a silly, self-conscious, or affected manner;
to smirk.
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
musika
Peter Duncanson (BrE) <ma...@peterduncanson.net> typed:
Was it Cuthbert Cringeworthy who used to simper?
--
Ray
UK
tony cooper
I agree with this distinction although I see "smirk" as a facial
expression and "simper" as more than just a facial expression.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Marius Hancu
> On Sun, 17 Apr 2011 06:06:37 -0700 (PDT), bert
>
> >On Sunday, April 17, 2011 1:03:20 PM UTC+1, Marius Hancu wrote:
> >> Hello:
>
> >> "To simper" vs. "to smirk"
> >> When would you use which?
>
> >A simperer, although acting falsely,
> >is trying to please somebody else.
>
> >A smirker is pleased with himself, and
> >expects this to displease somebody else.
>
> I agree with this distinction although I see "smirk" as a facial
> expression and "simper" as more than just a facial expression.
Such as?
Thanks.
Marius Hancu
Ian Jackson
<c97d2142-4408-4fbe...@t16g2000vbi.googlegroups.com>,
Marius Hancu <marius...@gmail.com> writes
A whimpering, simpering child again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I."
<http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/b/bewitchedbotheredandbewildered
.shtml>
--
Ian
CDB
> Horace LaBadie <hwlab...@nospam.highstream.net> wrote:
>> Marius Hancu <marius...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> "To simper" vs. "to smirk"
>>> When would you use which?
>>>
>>> The definitions I've found don't help me very much, and this is
>>> the best synonym separation sources I know:
>>> http://tinyurl.com/3vl8ffl
>>>
>>> --
>>> Thanks,
>>> Marius Hancu
>>
>> There is an implication of falsity and pouting to a simper. Smirk
>> is an offensively self-satisfied, smug or condescending smile.
>> Simper is more often applied to females than males.
>
> I agree.
>
> OED is of limited help. The usages of the words have changed with
> time. The definition of simper includes smirk, and the definition
> of smirk includes simper.
>
> smirk, v.
>
> 1.a. intr. To smile; in later use, to smile in an affected,
> self-satisfied, or silly manner; to simper.
>
> simper, v.2
>
> 1.a. intr. To smile in a silly, self-conscious, or affected
> manner; to smirk.
>>
the nostrils -- purse-mouthed, sotto-voce giggling. A smirk can be
wry, even sinister, and it is smirked in mocking or menacing silence.
Steve Hayes
<marius...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Hello:
>
>"To simper" vs. "to smirk"
>When would you use which?
To simper is to be weakly and slickly ingratiating.
Smirking is when one is pleased about something, including another's
discomfiture.
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
tony cooper
A facial expression is pretty much static. A simper can involve a
facial expression that is dynamic - movement of the mouth, head,
eyebrows - and can involve other body movements (hands).
I think you can capture a smirk in a photograph. It would take a
series of photographs to capture a simper.
A simper can also be accompanied by sounds of agreement or sympathy to
a position. A smirk is silent.
Steve Hayes
Marius Hancu
Thanks.
Is there any simpering here (please indicate the exact time on the
recording, if so)?
Sean Sanczel's Take 5 Commercial "Simpering Idiots"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l77jWsokNjw
Marius Hancu
Robin Bignall
wrote:
That's getting closer. COD seems quite good with simper:
simper
· v. smile in an affectedly coquettish, coy, or ingratiating manner.
To me, it's the false coyness or ingratiation that makes a simper.
It appears less clear with smirk:
smirk
· v. smile in an irritatingly smug or silly way.
The main characteristic of people who smirk is that they think they've
been very clever and got away with something quite petty and nasty.
--
Robin Bignall
(BrE)
Herts, England
tony cooper
Not that I see. Expressions, but not simpering.
This is closer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjSqBiHaMuk
I have *no* idea what this guy's talking about, but if you turn off
the volume and watch his face you'll see some simpering going on.
The language is a bit raw, but nothing too strong for this group. You
might not want the volume on if you are in the office.
Irwell
Why did an image of Bush just flash by?
Robin Bignall
Interesting you should say that. The other day, David Cameron was
telling us that we should be interested in GWB as well as GDP. Thank
goodness he was talking about 'general wellbeing'.
Stephanie Mitchell
> On Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:06:08 +0100, Robin Bignall wrote:
> > wrote:
>
> >>Peter Duncanson (BrE) wrote:
And for me it's usually Renee Zellweger who simpers. I don't think
she has another expression.
R H Draney
Which I agree is more important than Ground Delay Program....r
--
Me? Sarcastic?
Yeah, right.
John Varela
<marius...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello:
>
> "To simper" vs. "to smirk"
> When would you use which?
>
> The definitions I've found don't help me very much, and this is the
> best synonym separation sources I know:
> http://tinyurl.com/3vl8ffl
A villain smirks; a lackey simpers.
Also, the facial expression of someone who forces a smile for the
camera can appear to be a smirk but never a simper.
--
John Varela
Marius Hancu
Gotcha:-)
Thanks.
Marius hancu
Marius Hancu
> On Sun, 17 Apr 2011 12:03:20 UTC, Marius Hancu
>
> > Hello:
>
> > "To simper" vs. "to smirk"
> > When would you use which?
>
> > The definitions I've found don't help me very much, and this is the
> > best synonym separation sources I know:
> >http://tinyurl.com/3vl8ffl
>
> A villain smirks; a lackey simpers.
Significant.
> Also, the facial expression of someone who forces a smile for the
> camera can appear to be a smirk but never a simper.
Thanks.
Marius Hancu
Vinny Burgoo
>On Apr 18, 1:10 am, Irwell <h...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> On Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:06:08 +0100, Robin Bignall wrote:
>> > On Sun, 17 Apr 2011 11:52:22 -0400, "CDB" <bellema...@sympatico.ca>
>> >>I associate simpering with little whispered laughy exhalations through
>> >>the nostrils -- purse-mouthed, sotto-voce giggling. A smirk can be
>> >>wry, even sinister, and it is smirked in mocking or menacing silence.
>>
>> > That's getting closer. COD seems quite good with simper:
>> > simper
>> > · v. smile in an affectedly coquettish, coy, or ingratiating manner.
>>
>> > To me, it's the false coyness or ingratiation that makes a simper.
>> > It appears less clear with smirk:
>> > smirk
>> > · v. smile in an irritatingly smug or silly way.
>>
>> > The main characteristic of people who smirk is that they think they've
>> > been very clever and got away with something quite petty and nasty.
>>
>> Why did an image of Bush just flash by?- Hide quoted text -
>
>And for me it's usually Renee Zellweger who simpers. I don't think
>she has another expression.
Someone once said that Renee Zellweger always looks like a hamster
squinting at the sun.
--
VB
Which made me smirk
John Holmes
> On Sun, 17 Apr 2011 05:03:20 -0700 (PDT), Marius Hancu
> <marius...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hello:
>>
>> "To simper" vs. "to smirk"
>> When would you use which?
>
> To simper is to be weakly and slickly ingratiating.
>
> Smirking is when one is pleased about something, including another's
> discomfiture.
Yes, smirking doesn't have to be completely evil. You could smirk at
seeing the pompous heavy slip on a banana peel in an old Mack Sennett
film, for example.
--
Regards
John
for mail: my initials plus a u e
at tpg dot com dot au