fume

¹

[ fyoom ]

noun

1. Often fumes. any smokelike or vaporous exhalation from matter or substances, especially of an odorous or harmful nature:

   tobacco fumes; noxious fumes of carbon monoxide.

2. an irritable or angry mood:

   He has been in a fume ever since the contract fell through.

   Synonyms: storm, agitation, fury, rage

verb (used with object)

, fumed, fum·ing.

1. to emit or exhale, as fumes or vapor:

   giant stacks fuming their sooty smoke.

2. to treat with or expose to fumes.

verb (used without object)

, fumed, fum·ing.

1. to rise, or pass off, as fumes:

   smoke fuming from an ashtray.

2. to emit fumes:

   The leaky pipe fumed alarmingly.

3. to show fretful irritation or anger:

   She always fumes when the mail is late.

   Synonyms: fret, chafe

fumé

²

[ fy-mey ]

adjective

, French.

1. of food, cured or flavored by exposure to smoke; smoked.

fume

/ fjuːm /

verb

1. intr to be overcome with anger or fury; rage
2. to give off (fumes) or (of fumes) to be given off, esp during a chemical reaction
3. tr to subject to or treat with fumes; fumigate

noun

1. often plural a pungent or toxic vapour
2. a sharp or pungent odour
3. a condition of anger

fume

/ fyo̅o̅m /

1. Smoke, vapor, or gas, especially if irritating, harmful, or smelly.

Derived Forms

• ˈfumeˌlike, adjective
• ˈfumingly, adverb
• ˈfumeless, adjective
• ˈfumer, noun
• ˈfumy, adjective

Other Words From

• fumeless adjective
• fumelike adjective
• fumer noun
• fuming·ly adverb
• un·fuming adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fume¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Old French fum < Latin fūmus smoke, steam, fume

Word History and Origins

Origin of fume¹

C14: from Old French fum , from Latin fūmus smoke, vapour

Example Sentences

The Walters Art Museum abruptly shut its doors for three weeks starting in mid-June after about half a dozen employees became ill from inhaling fumes from chemicals used to repair the roof of one of the museum’s buildings.

From Washington Post

Inhaling any residual fumes from it could damage your airways or worsen any respiratory condition.

From Popular-Science

Last week, in partnership with The Texas Tribune and NBC Universal, we published a story about a family poisoned by carbon monoxide fumes in Houston during the severe winter storms and power failures in February.

From ProPublica

Gas generators are the standard method of bringing power to the powerless, but the fumes, weight, and noise prevent these big engines from being in-home power supplies or good portable camping generators.

From Popular-Science

Yes, they could run on fumes for a bit, relying on long-standing relationships and ingrained behaviors to keep some semblance of their culture alive in the digital realm.

From Quartz

In 1639 Venner published a volume entitled "A Treatise" concerning the taking of the fume of tobacco.

From Project Gutenberg

But the contemplation of his grief disturbs his equanimity more and more, and he begins to fret and fume.

From Project Gutenberg

The Commissary continued to fume about the disgraceful charges brought against his men until they reached camp.

From Project Gutenberg

They could only stand with lowered heads and fume and rumble.

From Project Gutenberg

A colourless liquor comes over first, and then a thick white fume, which condenses into the transparent liquor above mentioned.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bristle
• chafe
• rave
• seethe