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

• ˈfumy, adjective
• ˈfumingly, adverb
• ˈfumer, noun
• ˈfumeless, adjective
• ˈfumeˌlike, 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 community is going to suffer. There is no mitigation for us. We are already suffering from the fumes,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Diesel fumes hang heavy in the chill winter air.

From BBC

The law intends to prevent toxic fumes from oil production from drifting into neighboring communities.

From Los Angeles Times

Jason Donovan fans were left "fuming" when they turned up at a theatre expecting to see him in The Rocky Horror Picture Show only to find it was his day off.

From BBC

Around these fumes are dozens of men, who wait for tractors to unload piles of cables before setting them on fire.

From BBC

Related Words

• bristle
• chafe
• rave
• seethe