smoke

[ smohk ]

noun

1. the visible vapor and gases given off by a burning or smoldering substance, especially the gray, brown, or blackish mixture of gases and suspended carbon particles resulting from the combustion of wood, peat, coal, or other organic matter.
2. something resembling this, as vapor or mist, flying particles, etc.
3. something unsubstantial, evanescent, or without result:

   Their hopes and dreams proved to be smoke.

4. an obscuring condition:

   the smoke of controversy.

5. an act or spell of smoking something, especially tobacco:

   They had a smoke during the intermission.

6. something for smoking, as a cigar or cigarette:

   This is the best smoke on the market.

7. Slang. marijuana.
8. Slang. a homemade drink consisting of denatured alcohol and water.
9. Physics, Chemistry. a system of solid particles suspended in a gaseous medium.
10. a bluish or brownish gray color.

verb (used without object)

, smoked, smok·ing.

1. to give off or emit smoke, as in burning.
2. to give out smoke offensively or improperly, as a stove.
3. to send forth steam or vapor, dust, or the like.
4. to draw into the mouth and puff out the smoke of tobacco or the like, as from a pipe or cigarette.
5. Slang. to ride or travel with great speed.
6. Australian.
   1. to flee.
   2. to abscond.

verb (used with object)

, smoked, smok·ing.

1. to draw into the mouth and puff out the smoke of:

   to smoke tobacco.

2. to use (a pipe, cigarette, etc.) in this process.
3. to expose to smoke.
4. to fumigate (rooms, furniture, etc.).
5. to cure (meat, fish, etc.) by exposure to smoke.
6. to color or darken by smoke.

verb phrase

1. 1. to drive from a refuge by means of smoke.
   2. to force into public view or knowledge; reveal:

      to smoke out the leaders of the spy ring.

Smoke

¹

/ sməʊk /

noun

1. the Smoke
   short for Big Smoke

smoke

²

/ sməʊk /

noun

1. the product of combustion, consisting of fine particles of carbon carried by hot gases and air
2. any cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
3. 1. the act of smoking tobacco or other substances, esp in a pipe or as a cigarette or cigar
   2. the duration of smoking such substances
4. informal.
   1. a cigarette or cigar
   2. a substance for smoking, such as pipe tobacco or marijuana
5. something with no concrete or lasting substance

   everything turned to smoke

6. a thing or condition that obscures
7. any of various colours similar to that of smoke, esp a dark grey with a bluish, yellowish, or greenish tinge
8. go up in smoke or end up in smoke
   1. to come to nothing
   2. to burn up vigorously
   3. to flare up in anger

verb

1. intr to emit smoke or the like, sometimes excessively or in the wrong place
2. 1. to draw in on (a burning cigarette, etc) and exhale the smoke
   2. to use tobacco for smoking
3. slang.
   intr to use marijuana for smoking
4. tr to bring (oneself) into a specified state by smoking
5. tr to subject or expose to smoke
6. tr to cure (meat, fish, cheese, etc) by treating with smoke
7. tr to fumigate or purify the air of (rooms, etc)
8. tr to darken (glass, etc) by exposure to smoke
9. slang.
   intr to move, drive, ride, etc, very fast
10. obsolete.
    tr to tease or mock
11. archaic.
    tr to suspect or detect

smoke

/ smōk /

1. A mixture of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other gases, usually containing particles of soot or other solids, produced by the burning of carbon-containing materials such as wood and coal.

Derived Forms

• ˈsmokable, adjective

Other Words From

• smokelike adjective
• anti·smoke adjective noun
• un·smoked adjective
• un·smoking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of smoke¹

before 1000; (noun) Middle English; Old English smoca; (v.) Middle English smoken, Old English smocian

Word History and Origins

Origin of smoke¹

Old English smoca (n); related to Middle Dutch smieken to emit smoke

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go up / end in smoke, to terminate without producing a result; be unsuccessful:

   All our dreams went up in smoke.

More idioms and phrases containing smoke

In addition to the idiom beginning with smoke , also see chain smoker ; go up in flames (smoke) ; holy cow (smoke) ; no smoke without fire ; watch one's dust (smoke) .

Example Sentences

“It was around 4 o’clock in the morning. We were asleep. We woke up because of a very strong thud. We couldn’t see anything in the beginning because of the smoke that was everywhere,” said a mother of two who lived in the building opposite.

From BBC

Every year, Delhi and northern states battle hazardous air during the winter months of October to January due to plummeting temperatures, smoke, dust, low wind speed, vehicular emissions and crop stubble burning.

From BBC

Karol G’s private plane made an emergency landing at the Van Nuys Airport on Thursday night after the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit.

From Los Angeles Times

A column of smoke from the fire this weekend targeted New York City with bull’s-eye precision, prompting air-pollution warnings for sensitive groups.

From Slate

“Believe it or not, it is illegal to smoke in parks,” said Iscol, the city’s emergency management commissioner.

From Slate

Related Words

• exhaust
• fog
• gas
• mist
• pollution
• smog
• soot
• vapor