English

A couple in Ghana

Adjective

smitten ‎(comparative more smitten, superlative most smitten)

1. Affected by an act of smiting.
   • 1850, Matthew Stewart, Remarks on the Subject of Language, with Some Observations in the Form of Notes, Illustrative of the Information which Language may Afford of the History and Opinions of Mankind, London: Printed by Richard and John Edward-Taylor, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, for, and at the expense of the author, OCLC 156061314, page 30:

     [A] smited man is a man struck; a smitten man is a man affected by the act of smiting: […]

   • 1903, Warwick Deeping, “Book I. The Way to Winchester”, in Uther and Igraine, New York, N.Y.: The Outlook Company, published 1904, OCLC 36430822, page 22:

     There was a tense silence over the throng as the old man stood and looked at the figure at his feet. There were shadows on the earl's face, and his hands shook, for the smitten man was his son.

   • 1997, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Fritz A. Rothschild, editor, Between God and Man: An Interpretation of Judaism: From the Writings of Abraham Joshua Herschel, New York, N.Y.: Free Press Paperbacks, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0-684-83331-6, page 250:

     The Bible shows the way of God with man and the way of man with God. It contains both the complaint of God against the wicked and the shriek of the smitten man, demanding justice of God.

   • 2010, Assnat Bartor, “Point of View”, in Reading Law as Narrative: A Study in the Casuistic Laws of the Pentateuch (Ancient Israel and its Literature; 5), Atlanta, Ga.: Society of Biblical Literature, ISBN 978-1-58983-480-4, page 175:

     [W]hen the alternate designation is introduced, turning the character from “man” or “brother” to “his smiter,” this balance is disturbed, and suddenly we have a smiter and a smitten person, not two people in a fight with each other.

   • 2010, Constance B. Nealey, The Teaching/Learning Process: Undergirded by Biblical Teachings: Teaching the Bible Way, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris Corporation, ISBN 978-1-4500-1417-5, page 50:

     In the argument, which followed between Job and his comforters, the poor, smitten man regained some of his faith and uttered many noble words concerning the wisdom of God. Finally, God revealed to Job the whole truth of the matter.

   1. Made irrationally enthusiastic.
      • 1869, Joseph Grant, “The Grocer's Daughter”, in Tales of the Glens with Ballads and Songs, new edition, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire: Published by John Taylor, OCLC 28563040, page 9:

        There is not, I am persuaded, an individual of the many Nature-smitten enthusiasts who yearly visit the wild glens of Kincardineshire, that would not walk barefoot a hundred miles to kneel at the tomb of him who founded the beautifully-situated village of Balrangle.

      • 1980, Arboretum Bulletin, Seattle, Wash.: [University of Washington], OCLC 19547989, page 26:

        One of the side benefits of such has been making the acquaintances of similarly smitten enthusiasts, and inevitably they are keen to share both plants and experiences.

      • 1981, Time, volume 118, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., ISSN 0040-781X, page 147:

        Welcome to the world of the Hobie Cat addict, that 100,000-strong armada of hopelessly smitten enthusiasts who insist that nothing in life quite measures up to the unrestrained joy of breezing along on a twin-hulled Hobie.

   2. In love.
      • 1912, Thomas Holmes, “Marriage in the Underworld”, in London's Underworld (The Making of the Modern Law), London: J. M. Dent & Sons; New York, N.Y.: E. P. Dutton, OCLC 60735063; republished as London; New York, N.Y.: Anthem Press, 2006, ISBN 978-1-84331-219-2, page 118:

        At the end of the long procession came a smitten woman. […] I think of the women who have fastened the tendrils of their heart's affection round unworthy men, and have married them, hoping, trusting and believing that their love and influence would be powerful enough to win the men to sobriety and virtue. Alas! how mistaken they have been!

      • 1997, Pauline Greenhill, “‘The Handsome Cabin Boy’: Cross-Dressing Ballads, Sexualities, and Gendered Meanings”, in Pauline Greenhill and Diane Tye, editors, Undisciplined Women: Tradition and Culture in Canada, Montreal, Que.; Kingston, Ont.: McGill-Queen's University Press, ISBN 978-0-7735-1614-4, page 119:

        In “The Soldier Maid,” a woman falls in love with the cross-dressed woman, thinking she is a man. The smitten woman, then, perceives herself in heterosexual mode – though the person to whom she is attracted is actually female.

      • 2005, Diana Palmer, Boss Man, New York, N.Y.: Harlequin, ISBN 978-0-373-30216-1:

        “I’m a man, Violet,” he reminded her as they walked out to his car after making their goodbyes to their host. “I know a smitten man when I see one. Kemp’s got it bad.”

      • 2012, Joseph Hale, Memoirs of the Browning Man, Houston, Tex.: Strategic Book Publishing and Rights Co., ISBN 978-1-61204-619-8, page 49:

        Isabella had complained to her father on several occasions over his actions. Father had responded by stating that it was natural for a healthy man to pay attention to a beautiful woman. The curt thank you and show of disinterest was no distraction to the smitten man.

Translations

See also

• crush
• infatuation
• platonic love

Verb

smitten

1. past participle of smite.

Anagrams

• Mittens, mittens

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

smitten m

1. definite singular of smitte

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

smitten m

1. definite singular of smitte