OE Antwerp-London Gloss. (2011) 52 Prurigo, smertung.

a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 83 (MED) Win makeð wunde smerte, Ah þe smertinge clenseð þe wunde.

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 217 Ȝef þe seolf..asmeort dicipline. & drach..þet swote licunge into smeortunge.

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. v. xxviii. 224 First he makeþ ycchinge and tikelynge, and þeraftir grete ach and smertinge.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 29101 Oft for þam smerting sendis he.

a1500 Dis. Women (Yale Med.) (1982) 41 (MED) Tokens þer of ben þese: brennynges, pricchinges, and smartynge with yn forþe.

1599 T. Moffett Silkewormes 6 Wounds how to cure, and smartings to allay.

1600 R. Armin Foole vpon Foole sig. D1^v In an enuious spleene smarting ripe, [he] runnes after him.

1694 T. D'Urfey Comical Hist. Don Quixote: Pt. 1 iv. i. 40 Very well, Sancho , talk on, talk on, the smarting of thy Bones I do perceive has made thee sharp and witty.

1715 J. T. Desaguliers tr. N. Gauger Fires Improv'd 41 It causes a smarting also in Animals.

1744 T. Dawkes Nurse's Guide 47 There is one more disease..which new-born Babes are often subject to,..that is, the Smartings and Redness about the Thighs and Buttocks.

1815 Hist. J. De Castro I. 22 Nothing will cure this crack-brain'd coxcomb but a good smarting.

1879 St. George's Hosp. Rep. 9 742 He suffers bad smarting and itching.

1910 A. Bennett Clayhanger ii. ix. 214 He was conscious of actual physical tremors and agreeable smartings in his head; electric disturbances.

1962 Life 12 Oct. 39/3 In low places the tear gas still eddies, causing a sudden smarting of the throat and nose.

2006 New Straits Times (Malaysia) (Nexis) 11 Jan. 11 He said ammonia could cause smarting of the eyes and breathing difficulties.

1852 ‘E. Wetherell’ Queechy I. xix. 269 When the lady at last came in it was with very evident marks of ‘smarting up’ about her.

1882 Atlantic Monthly June 856/2 The ‘smarting up’ in which the residents of sea-shore and inland villages take such pride is going to drive away the money-spending people whom they wish to attract.

1910 W. H. Dooley Textiles for Commerc., Industr., Evening & Domest. Arts Schools vii. 68 The fabric now requires consolidating and lustering, or smarting up in appearance..before it is forwarded to the warehouse.

1984 Irish Times 16 Oct. 11/6 I believe that competition will..lead to a smarting up of the whole shopping area.

2012 Royston Crow (Nexis) 4 Oct. The..uninspiring green portacabin style buildings would benefit from smarting up.

1902 Hutchinson (Kansas) Daily News 21 June 1/2 While his nomination is not considered a strong one the Populist love of smarting off whenever he gets a chance may result in the two brothers being candidates for the same office.

1965 Chicago Defender 25 Sept. 4/1 24 hot, tired recruits got by with questions that might have been considered smarting off.

2011 K. Hall Old Man down Road ix. 170 He..held his tongue. Smarting off would only get him in trouble.

OE tr. Orosius Hist. (Tiber.) (1980) i. vii. 25 Gnættas comon..mid fyrsmeortendum bitum [L. ignitas sciniphes] & ægþær ge þa men ge ða nytenu unaablinnendlice piniende wæron.

?1531 tr. Erasmus Treat. perswadynge Man Patientlye to Suffre sig. F.iv By this maner meane, ye shall aswage the smartynge sorowe of your mynde.

1548 T. Cooper Bibliotheca Eliotæ (rev. ed.) Aestus ulceris, the smartyng peyne of a sore, or byle.

1575 G. Fenton Golden Epist. f. 35^v They crucifyed him vnder a most smarting and infamous death.

1633 P. Fletcher Elisa 107 in Purple Island Some fault..Hath forc't thee frown, and use thy smarting rod.

1684 B. Keach Progress of Sin iv. sig. E3^v To save his Childs Soul from Hell..wisely chastiseth him with a smarting Rod, till the Blood comes.

1726 A. Pope tr. Homer Odyssey IV. xv. 207 He..flung Athwart the fiery steeds the smarting thong.

1769 R. W. Johnson New Syst. Midwifery vii. 131 She feels a prurience..which soon changes to a smarting, pricking, and burning pain.

1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian vi, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. II. 162 The old man winced, as one whose smarting sore is suddenly galled.

1879 St. George's Hosp. Rep. 9 741 She complains of excess of perspiration,..and much of smarting pain.

1901 Countess C. Beauty's Aids 242 (advt.) Rowland's Kalydor..allays all smarting irritations..removes freckles, tan, sunburn, prickly heat.

1973 V. C. Ike Potter's Wheel (1974) iv. 31 He returned to the compound, and used the bitterleaf instead, crushing it and squeezing the green smarting liquid on the wound.

2006 Wanderlust Mar. 131/1 Scrombotoxin causes a tingling or smarting sensation in the mouth, or a peppery/bitter taste to the fish.

1568 T. Howell Arbor of Amitie f. 10^v My smarting eies haue spent their teares, farewell for euermore.

1683 J. Chalkill Thealma & Clearchus 106 The moisture that distill'd From his still smarting eye.

1754 R. Dodsley Agric. in Public Virtue ii. 266 Since oft Its cruel twigs compel the smarting youth To dread the hateful seat.

1802 Americana iii, in Dramas Revolutionary & Early Amer. Period 72 Let me close my smarting eyes and hide My face in this dear friendly breast of thine.

1882 Daily News 3 Jan. 3/3 A financial crash would at once be laid at its door by the smarting holders of worthless security.

1946 Washington Post 14 Oct. 2/2 This officer, to relieve his smarting feelings, made a drawing of a vinegar jug with a dour-faced sketch of General Stilwell on it.

1972 D. Brewster Heart's grown Brutal vi. 62 Randall and Blundell rapidly felt the effects of the gas and ran back with smarting eyes and running cheeks to their car.

2000 V. Sneve Grandpa was Cowboy (2003) 23 Hank, blowing air over his smarting tongue, heard the yearning in the old man's voice.