Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (orig. US, also smoothe) clever, skilful, superior; also as adv.

1893		J. Hawthorne Confessions of Convict 29: Hope was a ‘smooth chinner’.
1900		A.H. Lewis ‘The Rat’ in Sandburrs 111: On d’ dead! this p’lice duck is so smooth an’ flossy d’ Rat believes him.
1909		W.M. Raine Brand Blotters (1912) 70: It’s a blame’ smooth piece of business if you ask me.
1916		J. Lait ‘Canada Kid’ in Beef, Iron and Wine (1917) 174: ‘Silk’ Tavannes, in his day the smoothest green goods steerer, the oiliest master of the tip and toss the West had known.
1923		Wodehouse Leave it to Psmith (1993) 517: When it comes to the smooth stuff, old girl, you’re the oyster’s eye-tooth!
1928		R. Fisher Walls Of Jericho 305: smoothe Cunning, ‘slick,’ as a smoothe jiver.
1930		J. Lait Put on the Spot 65: [He] strode in as though to address a hostile jury—suave, sure, smooth.
1941		K. Tennant Battlers 79: Arr, that bugger, I ain’t got no time for him. Nasty, sneaking little rat, talkin’ that smooth you could knock his face in.
1953		Kramer & Karr Teen-Age Gangs 152: With connections a guy makes real smooth money, not just chicken feed.
1957		R. Prather Always Leave ’Em Dying 13: He was such a smooth-voiced, brainy con man.
1968		J. Hersey Algiers Motel Incident 105: They meet this guy. He’s smooth, you know.
1999		Indep. on Sun. Rev. 20 June 30: A bit of old Johnny Smooth Talk, my advice is shed a tear or two if you can manage it.
2000		J.J. Connolly Layer Cake 114: The very top kiddies, who are right smooth, see it as a swindle.
2000		Indep. on Sun. Travel 23 Jan. 2: You allowed yourself to be smooth-talked into some gem-buying scam.

2. of manners or dress, elegant, fashionable, suave; also as adv.

1875		M. Thompson Hoosier Mosaics 33: ‘You’re tellin’ the truth and talkin’ it smooth,’ replied Bill, bowing to the girls with the swagger peculiar to a rustic who imagines he has turned a fine period.
1893		W.K. Post Harvard Stories 216: It was the symbol of some particularly ‘smooth’ and secret band of brothers.
1924		P. Marks Plastic Age 7: Preparatory school boys, carelessly at ease, well dressed, or, as the college argot has it, ‘smooth’.
1932		J.L. Kuethe ‘Johns Hopkins Jargon’ in AS VII:5 336: smooth—attractive; perfect; excellent.
1932		E.S. Gardner ‘Bird in the Hand’ in Goulart (1967) 285: He’s a smooth one.
1944		Chicago Trib. 10 Dec. 4: Watch those people whom you consider smooth; see how they dress [DA].
1957		H. Simmons Corner Boy 192: Your guy is sure smooth.
1962		R. Hauser Homosexual Society 91: Wherever you go you’re a ‘sus’ (suspected person)—just because you trusted some smooth geezer.
1985		S. Berkoff West in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 100: Divest yourselves of your smooth gear / and imitate the clobber of that mob.
1990		(con. early 1950s) J. Ellroy L.A. Confidential 52: Granted, Jack’s smooth, but can’t you see what he is?
1993		L. Rodríguez Always Running (1996) 120: Shorty played it smooth, hanging out with her homegirls.
2001		N. Barlay Hooky Gear 225: After all what does a muff really look like? Suited up, casual? Crusty, smooth?

3. (US campus) performed well.

1896		W.C. Gore Student Sl. in Cohen (1997) 22: smooth a. Excellent, elegant, fine. The word is used almost as indiscriminately as the word nice [...] ‘a smooth recitation,’ etc.
1997–2000		Da Bomb 🌐 26: Smooth: Done well. Our group project was smooth.

4. (US campus) of a situation, pleasant.

1893		W.K. Post Harvard Stories 210: ‘Well, you ’ll have a rattling good time down there.’ ‘A “smooth” time, you mean,’ corrected Rattleton. ‘Don’t you know how to talk Elic yet?’.
1900		E.H. Babbitt ‘College Words and Phrases’ in DN II:i 60: smooth, adj. Excellent, pleasing.
1918		K.F. Purdon Dinny on the Doorstep 170: Pretty smooth, isn’t it? After all, good old Dublin’s not so much amiss; place like this takes a lot of beating!
1955		W. White ‘Wayne University Sl.’ AS XXX:4 302: smooth [...] adj. Terms denoting that somebody or something is good.
1967		P. Thomas Down These Mean Streets (1970) 309: Breakfast was smooth, and when I left my cell for the last time and walked down the long corridor toward the tailor shop, I felt like I was leaving home.

5. (US black, also smoothe, smoove) good, admirable.

1928		R. Fisher Walls Of Jericho 305: smoothe [...] Faultless, as in smoothe brown.
1953		W. Fisher Waiters 191: Man, it’s gonna be reeal smooth.
1967		P. Thomas Down These Mean Streets (1970) 5: Yeah, man, this is smooth, but we gotta do some better dealing; this five-cent bag ain’t enough. Like man, we is strung out.
1984		Eble Campus Sl. Mar. 6: smoothe – good, good–looking: Smoove new sunglasses, Jim.
1999		Eble Campus Sl. Nov. 11: smooth – cool, often said sarcastically: ‘Smooth move, bro!’.
2000		Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 smooth Definition: very good. Example: Man, dat chick be lookin’ so smooth!

6. attractive.

1959

W. Brown Teen-Age Mafia 15: Gee, a smooth-looking chick like you could have her pick of any guy she wants.

7. of an individual, affable, courteous.

2000

Indep. Rev. 13 Jan. 1: I love that village. They’ve always been smooth with me.