The Clue
Campaigner's dirty trick (5 letter answer)
The Answer
SMEAR
Tags
Notes
The answer SMEAR is seen frequently, appearing about once every 120 puzzles.
Related Clues
Besmirch
Blotch
Calumniate
Daub
Fingerprint
Insult
Malign
Slander
Slur
Soil
Sully
Vilify
Artist's mishap
Bad-mouth
Campaign staple
Campaign tactic
Cosmetician's goof
Eyeliner problem
Makeup mishap
Political slander
Ruin, as calligraphy
Sling mud
Sling mud at
Throw mud at
Type of campaign
Untidy mark
Attack ad, maybe
Bit of negative campaigning
Campaign dirty trick
Dirty campaign tactic
Dirty political tactic
Medical-lab technique
Slight on the stump, say
Window cleaner's goof
Window washer's mistake
Definition
SMEAR as a noun:
1. (smear, vilification, malignment) = slanderous defamation
2. (smear, cytologic smear, cytosmear) = a thin tissue or blood sample spread on a glass slide and stained for cytologic examination and diagnosis under a microscope
3. (smudge, spot, blot, daub, smear, smirch, slur) = a blemish made by dirt; "he had a smudge on his cheek"
4. (blot, smear, smirch, spot, stain) = an act that brings discredit to the person who does it; "he made a huge blot on his copybook"
SMEAR as a verb:
1. stain by smearing or daubing with a dirty substance
2. (smear, blur, smudge, smutch) = make a smudge on; soil by smudging
3. (daub, smear) = cover (a surface) by smearing (a substance) over it; "smear the wall with paint"; "daub the ceiling with plaster"
4. (defame, slander, smirch, asperse, denigrate, calumniate, smear, sully, besmirch) = charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone; "The journalists have defamed me!" "The article in the paper sullied my reputation"