smile v.
1. (orig. US) to drink, esp. whisky.
 | St Louis (MO) Reveille 29 Apr. 2/4: He can’t be very unhappy, for he ‘smiles’ so often [DA]. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Manchester Spy (NH) 5 Apr. n.p.: Wants [...] To know who smiled so often last Sunday at Squag — O, that will be joyful. | |
| Knickerbocker (NY) lviii (Aug.) 174: If we except the bibulous indulgence sometimes known by that name, I have not seen a man smile since I have been here. | |
| Westward by Rail 337: [He] asked me to smile. I had learned by experience that this is the slang phrase for taking a drink. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Bristol Magpie 12 Oct. 5/2: Bath ought to be proud. [...] Evidently the inhabitants of the ‘Queen of the West’ do not ‘smile’ too often [...] on the calm serene day which comes betwixt a Saturday and Monday. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Bulletin (Sydney) 30 May 11/4: We’ve tried that cup, / We guv it up, / And allus lets it pass us; / We’d sooner ‘smile’ / On castor ‘ile’ / Stirred up in sour molasses. | |
| Student Sl. in Cohen (1997) 22: smile 1. v. To take a drink. |
2. to buy a drink or round of drinks.
| Bulletin (Sydney) 26 Sept. 14/3: Here, landlord! fill the pewter, quick – / A pint of ‘stout and mild;’ / And do the same for Bill and Dick, / They’re ‘stony,’ so we’ve ‘smiled!’. |
In phrases
(US) an ironic response to an implausible suggestion.
| ‘English Sl.’ in Eve. Telegram (NY) 9 Dec. 1/5: Let us present a few specimens:– [...] ‘I should smile if you didn’t.’. | |
| A Bunch of Keys Act III: snag: Single room? p.f.: Well, I should smile. | |
| ‘High School Sl.’ in N.Y. Dispatch 31 May 7: ‘My, though, don’t he think he’s an awful swell?’ ‘Well, I should smile — he takes the belt.’. | |
| Wichita Eagle (KS) 24 Dec. 7/1: Such expressions as [...] ‘I should snicker,’ ‘Now you’re shoutin’,’ etc. [...] are certainly not polite. | |
| Cumberland Mercury (NSW) 29 Jan. 4/6: That when you tell Hughy of Henry's chance his wink is equivalent to ‘I could smile’. | |
| Music Hall & Theatre Rev. 8 Feb. 6/2: What’s this? Shall we go to the Middlesex? Well we should smile. | |
| Harper’s Mag. 87 July 307/1: There is little to choose between the how’s your poor feet? of London and the well, I should smile, of New York, for neither phrase had any excuse for existence, and neither had any hope of survival. | |
| Truth (Sydney) 6 May. 6/3: James J. Corbett is probably the windiest skiter on earth [...] Fluent? Well, I should smile! | |
| Student Sl. in Cohen (1997) 20: I should remark, I should say, I should smile [...] Expressions denoting emphasis, affirmation, or agreement. | |
| Bulletin (Sydney) 20 Oct. 14/4: Bill stood ready at one end of the log, and I at the other, and when I said ’go’ the darkies dived, and out came those wedges like a shot. Yell! I should smile! Two years afterwards their skelingtons was found, still fixed in the log, and that’s the last I ever heard of the biz. | |
| Boy’s Own Paper 5 Jan. 210: ‘He gave all that up to the police, I suppose?’ said Hugh. ‘I should smile,’ replied Leo. | |
| ‘The Bath of Psyche’ Sporting Times 11 Mar. 1/4: When such art work they accuse / Of not being moral—well, then, I should snigger! | |
| Sun. Times (Perth) 28 Feb. 4s/8: ‘I should smile!’ enthused Alcock. | |
| Truth (Brisbane) 15 May 1/3: [T]he real meaning of the word Wowser is as well-known as are the meanings of such words and phrases as [...] Johnny Woodser, Johnny Warder, Dicken, ‘I don’t think,’ and ’I should - smile’. | |
| My View on Books in N.Y. Times Mag. 21 May 7/5: Will you like? Well, I should smile. Get hep. | |
| Moleskin Joe 88: ‘Blimey! I should smile!’ groaned the Moocher. | |
| Dict. Amer. Sl. | |
| ‘Anticipations of a Return to Sydney’ Aus. First and Last 49: It’s to Sydney now for a spell. / Shall I visit the Cross? Well, I should smile. |
(US teen) phr. of affirmation: ‘you are absolutely right’.
| ‘High School Sl.’ in N.Y. Dispatch 31 May 7: ‘We had a jim-dandy time at the party last night, didn’t we?’ ‘I should snicker to smile.’. | |
| Student Sl. in Cohen (1997) 20: I should remark, I should say, I should smile, I should smile to remark, I should smile a little smirk, I should snicker. Expressions denoting emphasis, affirmation, or agreement. |