smoothing
smoothing — 動詞
1. to press or rub a surface with your hand or a tool so that it becomes flat and e
撫平；弄平
用手或工具使表面平坦
to press or rub a surface with your hand or a tool so that it becomes flat and even, removing any wrinkles, bumps, or rough parts
Amara smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt before the job interview.
Amara 在面試前撫平了裙子上的皺褶。
smooth + direct object (item of clothing)
The carpenter smoothed the rough edges of the wooden table with sandpaper.
木匠用砂紙把木桌的粗糙邊緣弄平。
smooth + noun phrase + with + tool
Hana gently smoothed her little brother's hair after he woke up from his nap.
Hana 輕輕撫平弟弟睡醒後翹起的頭髮。
Jorge used a hot iron to smooth the creases in his cotton shirt.
Jorge 用熱熨斗燙平了棉質襯衫上的褶痕。
After the cake was baked, Sofia smoothed the icing over the top with a flat knife.
蛋糕烤好後，Sofia 用平刀將糖霜均勻抹平在表面。
文法句型
smooth + noun phrase
用法筆記
The object is usually a piece of fabric, clothing, hair, paper, wood, or food surface that can become wrinkled or uneven.
常見錯誤
2. to get rid of problems, disagreements, or obstacles so that people can work toge
排除障礙
消除困難使事情順利
to get rid of problems, disagreements, or obstacles so that people can work together more easily or a process can move forward without difficulty
The new manager smoothed the relationship between the two departments after months of conflict.
新主管排除了兩個部門之間的障礙，化解了長達數月的衝突。
smooth + noun phrase (relationship/process)
Wei smoothed the way for the project by getting approval from the local government first.
Wei 先獲得地方政府的批准，為專案排除障礙。
smooth the way for + noun phrase
Olga's careful planning smoothed the whole moving process so the family could settle in quickly.
Olga 的仔細規劃讓搬家過程十分順利，全家人很快就安頓下來。
A skilled mediator smoothed the disagreements between the two sides by finding common ground.
一位經驗豐富的調解人透過尋找共同點，排除了雙方之間的分歧。
- ease
similar meaning but softer; implies making something less difficult rather than removing obstacles entirely
- facilitate
more formal; focuses on making a process easier
- clear
suggests removing barriers or blockages
- hinder
to create difficulties or delays
- complicate
to make something more difficult
文法句型
smooth + noun phrase
smooth the way for + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used in the phrasal patterns 'smooth the way for' and 'smooth things over'. The object is typically an interpersonal situation, process, or set of difficulties.
常見錯誤
3. to put a soft or liquid substance onto a surface using gentle hand movements so
塗抹
將軟質物質均勻塗在表面
to put a soft or liquid substance onto a surface using gentle hand movements so that it forms an even layer
Kwame smoothed sunscreen onto his children's shoulders before they went swimming at the beach.
Kwame 在孩子們去海灘游泳前，將防曬乳均勻塗抹在他們的肩膀上。
smooth + substance + onto + body part
Fatima smoothed a thin layer of butter over the warm bread for her daughter's breakfast.
Fatima 在溫熱的麵包上均勻塗抹了一層奶油，給女兒當早餐。
smooth + substance + over + surface (food)
The nurse smoothed antibiotic cream onto the patient's cut using a clean cotton pad.
護理師用乾淨的棉花棒將抗生素藥膏塗抹在病人的傷口上。
Diego smoothed moisturiser onto his hands after washing dishes all evening.
Diego 洗完一整晚的碗盤後，將護手霜塗抹在雙手。
- scrape off
to remove a layer from a surface
- wipe away
to remove a substance with a cloth or hand
文法句型
smooth + noun phrase + onto/on/over + noun phrase
用法筆記
A preposition (onto, on, over) is needed before the surface being covered. Common objects include cream, lotion, butter, ointment, paint, and similar spreadable substances.
常見錯誤
smoothing — 形容詞
1. describes a surface that feels flat and even when you touch it, with no bumps, h
平滑的
表面沒有凹凸或粗糙
describes a surface that feels flat and even when you touch it, with no bumps, holes, lumps, or rough parts
The kitchen floor was so smooth that the children could slide across it in their socks.
廚房地板非常平滑，孩子們穿著襪子就可以在上面滑來滑去。
smooth + surface type (floor/road/wall)
Maria ran her hand over the smooth surface of the polished kitchen counter.
Maria 用手撫摸著拋光廚房檯面的平滑表面。
After the old road was repaved, it felt as smooth as glass compared to before.
舊路重新鋪過之後，路面平滑如鏡，和以前天差地別。
A good mirror needs a smooth surface to give a clear and accurate reflection.
好的鏡子需要平滑的表面才能呈現清晰準確的倒影。
Ingrid chose a paint that would leave a smooth finish on the bedroom walls.
Ingrid 選用了一種能在臥室牆壁留下平滑表面的油漆。
常見錯誤
2. describes a process, journey, or period of time that happens without any problem
順利的
沒有問題或中斷的
describes a process, journey, or period of time that happens without any problems, delays, or unexpected interruptions
The flight from Taipei to Tokyo was smooth, with no delays or bad weather at all.
從臺北飛往東京的航班十分順利，完全沒有延誤或天氣問題。
smooth + journey/flight/drive
After months of preparation, the product launch was smooth and went exactly as planned.
經過數月的準備，產品發表會順利進行，一切按計畫完成。
James hoped the transition to the new software system would be smooth for all users.
James 希望所有使用者都能順利過渡到新的軟體系統。
The baby slept through the night, making the first day of the trip smooth for everyone.
寶寶整夜安睡，讓大家第一天的旅途非常順利。
Smooth sailing for the rest of the project meant the team finished a week early.
專案後半段一帆風順，團隊提前一週完成了任務。
- seamless
emphasises that there are no noticeable gaps or breaks between stages
- easy
more general; describes something that requires little effort
- untroubled
more literary; describes a period free of problems
用法筆記
This sense is used for events, processes, journeys, transitions, and sequences of actions — not for describing physical surfaces.
常見錯誤
3. describes a drink or food that has a gentle, rich taste without sharp, sour, or
溫潤的
口味溫和不酸不苦
describes a drink or food that has a gentle, rich taste without sharp, sour, or bitter notes
This coffee is smooth and rich, with no bitter aftertaste at all.
這杯咖啡溫潤醇厚，完全沒有苦味。
smooth + coffee/chocolate/wine
Hana prefers smooth wines that are not too dry or sharp on the tongue.
Hana 偏好口感溫潤的葡萄酒，不喜歡太乾或太嗆的風味。
The dark chocolate mousse was so smooth and creamy that Aisha asked for the recipe.
這道黑巧克力慕斯口感溫潤滑順，Aisha 特地詢問了食譜。
Malik bought a smooth whiskey that he could enjoy slowly on cold winter evenings.
Malik 買了一瓶口感溫潤的威士忌，可以在寒冷的冬夜慢慢品嚐。
用法筆記
Primarily used for coffee, tea, chocolate, wine, whiskey, and other beverages or foods with complex flavours where bitterness or sharpness can be a concern.
4. describes someone who is excessively charming and polished in their social manne
圓滑的
過度殷勤不真誠
describes someone who is excessively charming and polished in their social manner, but in a way that feels false or calculated rather than genuine
The smooth salesman promised the couple everything they wanted, but they did not trust a single word he said.
那個圓滑的業務員對這對夫婦有求必應，但他們一句話也不信。
smooth + salesman/politician/talker
Dmitri's smooth compliments at the office party made his colleagues wonder what he really wanted from them.
Dmitri 在辦公室派對上說的圓滑恭維話，讓同事們懷疑他到底想要什麼。
The politician gave a smooth speech that was full of charm but offered very few real promises.
那位政治人物發表了一場圓滑的演講，雖然魅力十足，但很少給出實質承諾。
Aisha saw through his smooth manners and knew he was only trying to impress the manager for a promotion.
Aisha 看穿了他圓滑的舉止，知道他只是想討好主管以求升遷。
用法筆記
Always carries a negative or suspicious tone. The person's charm is seen as excessive and manipulative. Never used as a genuine compliment.
常見錯誤
smoothing — 名詞
1. the action or process of making a surface flat, even, or more regular by pressin
整平
使表面變平整的動作
the action or process of making a surface flat, even, or more regular by pressing or rubbing it with a hand or tool
The smoothing of the wooden surface took two hours with fine sandpaper.
用細砂紙整平木頭表面花了兩個小時。
the smoothing of + noun phrase
A gentle smoothing of the fabric with your hand removes most wrinkles without needing an iron.
用手輕輕將布料整平就能去除大部分皺褶，不需要熨斗。
The smoothing of the clay with a little water gave the finished pot a beautiful shine.
加一點水將陶土整平後，完成的陶罐呈現美麗的光澤。
Proper smoothing of the plaster makes the wall ready for painting the next day.
確實將灰泥整平後，牆壁隔天就可以上漆了。
- flattening
more general; does not specify the tool or method used
- polishing
implies making shiny as well as smooth
- levelling
focuses on making the surface even in height
用法筆記
Usually followed by 'of' and a noun describing the material or surface being made smooth. Common in craft, DIY, and beauty contexts.