SMOOT Meaning and
Definition
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Smoot is a measurement unit used to quantify distance or length in an unconventional and humorous manner. It originated as a result of a prank performed by a group of MIT students in the 1950s. It is defined as an arbitrary unit of measurement, usually equivalent to the height of Oliver Smoot, one of the students involved in the prank, lying down repeatedly along the Harvard Bridge over the Charles River.
The smoot is typically used in a humorous context or as an inside joke within the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) community. Although not a recognized unit in formal systems of measurement, it has gained recognition and popularity, especially within the engineering and mathematics fields.
To measure a distance in smoots, one can divide the total length by the height of Oliver Smoot at the time of measurement. For instance, if a bridge is 100 smoots long, it means the bridge is 100 times the length of Oliver Smoot lying down repeatedly.
This unconventional unit of measurement demonstrates the creativity and humor present within academic communities. The smoot has become a symbol of the whimsical and lighthearted nature of the MIT culture, showcasing how individuals can inject fun and laughter into the world of science and engineering.
Etymology of SMOOT
The word "smoot" originated from an unusual source. It is derived from the name Oliver R. Smoot, who was an MIT student in the 1950s. In 1958, a fraternity prank involved measuring the Harvard Bridge, which connects Boston to Cambridge, with Smoot's height. They used Smoot's body as a unit of measurement, lying him down repeatedly to span the bridge. The markings were later painted on the bridge, and the term "smoot" became associated with this unit of measurement. The word has since gained popularity, both as a measurement and in various contexts, and has been added to dictionaries.
Similar spelling words for SMOOT
- smoothie,
- smite,
- Smythe,
- smut,
- smithy,
- smooth,
- smidt,
- Smyth,
- Smit,
- smith,
- smutty,
- Smtih,
- smithey,
- smoothy.
Conjugate verb Smoot
CONDITIONAL
I
would smoot
you
would smoot
he/she/it
would smoot
we
would smoot
they
would smoot
CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS
I
would be smooting
you
would be smooting
he/she/it
would be smooting
we
would be smooting
they
would be smooting
CONDITIONAL PERFECT
I
would have smoot
you
would have smoot
he/she/it
would have smoot
we
would have smoot
they
would have smoot
CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
would have been smooting
you
would have been smooting
he/she/it
would have been smooting
we
would have been smooting
they
would have been smooting
FUTURE
I
will smoot
you
will smoot
he/she/it
will smoot
we
will smoot
they
will smoot
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
I
will be smooting
you
will be smooting
he/she/it
will be smooting
we
will be smooting
they
will be smooting
FUTURE PERFECT
I
will have smooted
you
will have smooted
he/she/it
will have smooted
we
will have smooted
they
will have smooted
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
will have been smooting
you
will have been smooting
he/she/it
will have been smooting
we
will have been smooting
they
will have been smooting
IMPERATIVE
you
smoot
we
let´s smoot
to smoot
PAST
I
smooted
you
smooted
he/she/it
smooted
we
smooted
they
smooted
PAST CONTINUOUS
I
was smooting
you
were smooting
he/she/it
was smooting
we
were smooting
they
were smooting
PAST PARTICIPLE
smooted
PAST PERFECT
I
had smooted
you
had smooted
he/she/it
had smooted
we
had smooted
they
had smooted
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
had been smooting
you
had been smooting
he/she/it
had been smooting
we
had been smooting
they
had been smooting
PRESENT
I
smoot
you
smoot
he/she/it
smoots
we
smoot
they
smoot
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
I
am smooting
you
are smooting
he/she/it
is smooting
we
are smooting
they
are smooting
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
smooting
PRESENT PERFECT
I
have smooted
you
have smooted
he/she/it
has smooted
we
have smooted
they
have smooted
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
have been smooting
you
have been smooting
he/she/it
has been smooting
we
have been smooting
they
have been smooting
