smut
1. Foul matter, like soot or coal dust; also, a spot or soil made by such matter.
2. (Science: chemical) bad, soft coal, containing much earthy matter, found in the immediate locality of faults.
3. (Science: botany) An affection of cereal grains producing a swelling which is at length resolved into a powdery sooty mass. It is caused by parasitic fungi of the genus ustilago. Ustilago segetum, or U. Carbo, is the commonest kind; that of indian corn is ustilago maydis.
4. Obscene language; ribaldry; obscenity. He does not stand upon decency . . . But will talk smut, though a priest and his mother be in the room. (Addison) Smut mill, a machine for cleansing grain from smut.
Origin: Akin to Sw. Smuts, Dan. Smuds, MHG. Smuz, G. Schmutz, D. Smet a spot or stain, smoddig, smodsig, smodderig, dirty, smodderen to smut; and probably to E. Smite. See Smite, and cf. Smitt, Smutch.
Dictionary > Smuts
You will also like...

Ecology & Biodiversity: New Zealand Flora & Fauna
New Zealand is known for its unique biodiversity, caused by its remarkable geography and geologic history. Breaking away..

The Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs represented a major turn in the evolutionary development of organisms on Earth. The first dinosaurs were presu..

Running Water Freshwater Communities
This tutorial introduces flowing water communities, which bring new and dithering factors into the equation for possible..

Chemical Composition of the Body
The body is comprised of different elements with hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen as the major four. This tutorial..

Selective Breeding
Gregor Mendel's studies into Monohybrid and Dihybrid crossing and Charles Darwin's study of evolution and natural select..

Darwin and Natural Selection
This tutorial investigates the genetic diversity in more detail. It also delineates how certain alleles are favored over..