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.
something resembling this, as vapor or mist, flying particles, etc.
something unsubstantial, evanescent, or without result.
Their hopes and dreams proved to be smoke.
an obscuring condition.
the smoke of controversy.
an act or spell of smoking something, especially tobacco.
They had a smoke during the intermission.
something for smoking, as a cigar or cigarette.
This is the best smoke on the market.
Slang. marijuana.
Slang. a homemade drink consisting of denatured alcohol and water.
Physics, Chemistry. a system of solid particles suspended in a gaseous medium.
a bluish or brownish gray color.
to give off or emit smoke, as in burning.
to give out smoke offensively or improperly, as a stove.
to send forth steam or vapor, dust, or the like.
to draw into the mouth and puff out the smoke of tobacco or the like, as from a pipe or cigarette.
Slang. to ride or travel with great speed.
Australian.
to flee.
to abscond.
to draw into the mouth and puff out the smoke of.
to smoke tobacco.
to use (a pipe, cigarette, etc.) in this process.
to expose to smoke.
to fumigate (rooms, furniture, etc.).
to cure (meat, fish, etc.) by exposure to smoke.
to color or darken by smoke.
the product of combustion, consisting of fine particles of carbon carried by hot gases and air
any cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances, esp in a pipe or as a cigarette or cigar
the duration of smoking such substances
informal
a cigarette or cigar
a substance for smoking, such as pipe tobacco or marijuana
something with no concrete or lasting substance
everything turned to smoke
a thing or condition that obscures
any of various colours similar to that of smoke, esp a dark grey with a bluish, yellowish, or greenish tinge
to come to nothing
to burn up vigorously
to flare up in anger
(intr) to emit smoke or the like, sometimes excessively or in the wrong place
to draw in on (a burning cigarette, etc) and exhale the smoke
to use tobacco for smoking
slang (intr) to use marijuana for smoking
(tr) to bring (oneself) into a specified state by smoking
(tr) to subject or expose to smoke
(tr) to cure (meat, fish, cheese, etc) by treating with smoke
(tr) to fumigate or purify the air of (rooms, etc)
(tr) to darken (glass, etc) by exposure to smoke
slang (intr) to move, drive, ride, etc, very fast
obsolete (tr) to tease or mock
archaic (tr) to suspect or detect
before 1000; (noun) Middle English; Old English smoca; (v.) Middle English smoken, Old English smocian
The hazy gray cloud that floats in the air when something burns is smoke. Smoke is made up of tiny carbon particles. If you get lost in the woods, you can use the smoke from your campfire to guide you back to your tent — or you can just use the GPS on your smartphone. The saying "where there's smoke there's fire” means that there's always a reason for a rumor. The saying is literally true as well—when you set something on fire, it will begin to smoke. When something "goes up in smoke," it's either destroyed by fire or ruined as though it's been burned: "My dreams of being a magician went up in smoke after that rabbit trick went awry."
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Firefighters have worked through the night after a van caught fire and the flames spread to heathland in the New Forest, creating a smoke plume visible for miles.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
There was smoke and embers blowing in the wind.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
The prolonged hot and dry conditions have created favourable conditions for wildfires, with massive wildfires raging across western Europe last month and "exceptional activity" in terms of the area burned and smoke and emissions generated.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
He then erupts in flames twice his height, dark smoke billowing.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Suddenly I realized there was no smoke coming from the roof.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
Smoke from Ontario wildfires has spread as far as the US midwest this summer.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Smoke from the fire has been visible on the mainland and crews from across England's south coast have been to the island to assist with the operation.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Smoke from wildfires in Ontario, Canada, has blanketed much of the Midwest and Northeast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
"The fire spread very quickly, reaching up to the ceiling. Smoke was likely the main cause of death," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told reporters outside the venue on the outskirts of the Thai capital.
From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026
Smoke and cold air poured in through the broken stained glass windows of the chapel.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Spatchcock it, score the fat so it can render as it smokes and place a pan beneath the bird to catch the liquid gold that is duck fat.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
It was that moment where I’m like, holy smokes, in three months that number has shot up and we can’t be passively thinking that this is all going to align.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
In 2013, the Scottish government set a target of achieving a "tobacco-free" Scotland by 2034 in which no more than 5% of the population smokes,
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026
International sales of Cuban cigars, the island nation's most emblematic export, bring much needed income to its struggling economy, with Europe the main market for the luxury smokes.
From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026
Letting out a low whistle, she said, “Holy smokes, Jay Berry, what happened to you and Rowdy? Both of you look like you’ve been run through a brier patch.”
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
"It would be like smoked ham," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
On the other goes a coarse, olive-bar-inspired romesco made with jarred roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, salted roasted almonds and smoked paprika.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
His team created deli-style versions of some of his breakfast menu, including Earl Grey prunes and crumpets with smoked trout.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Food trends columnist Adam Chandler profiled Lev Sercarz about cooking in this new era of American eating, and received suggestions for the best seasonings—from sumac to smoked salt—for spicing up even the simplest meals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
"Man, he ain't gon' say nothin'. He ain't even gon' look your way. Probably at home right now still crying about getting smoked on Saturday," Lu followed.
From "Patina" by Jason Reynolds
A recent strike on one of its warehouses—among the largest such facilities in Russia—left behind a smoking husk roughly the size of New York City’s Grand Central Terminal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
Most of the modifiable factors examined, including smoking, cardiovascular disease, high blood lipids and high blood pressure, were associated with damage to blood vessels in the brain.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
Backed up by around a dozen volunteers, a small team of firefighters water-lanced the last patches of smoking earth nearby.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
We’re protective of what the world sees Cuba as, whether it’s the old ladies smoking cigars, or the American cause.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
An entire section of wall had collapsed, leaving a slope of smoking rubble.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
