fume

¹ American  

[fyoom] / fyum /

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

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verb (used with object)

fumed, fuming

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, fuming

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 American  

[fy-mey] / füˈmeɪ /

adjective

French.

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

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fume British  

/ 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

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noun

1. (often plural) a pungent or toxic vapour

2. a sharp or pungent odour

3. a condition of anger

fume Scientific  

/ fyo̅o̅m /

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

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Other Word Forms

• fumeless adjective
• fumelike adjective
• fumer noun
• fumingly adverb
• fumy adjective
• unfuming adjective

Etymology

Origin of fume

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

Example Sentences

My skin goes clammy; I’m fuming and shocked at the same time, and I can’t isolate one feeling from the other.

From Literature

In that incident, an Air Canada jet ran into an emergency vehicle on the runway that was racing to deal with a potential fume event on a United Airlines flight.

From The Wall Street Journal

The president is fuming at the justices as they prepare to take up his next big case.

From The Wall Street Journal

They believe carbon monoxide fumes were leaking into the cabin of the plane during Sala's flight, and the lack of an audible alarm meant Ibbotson was unable to take action to disperse the deadly gas.

From BBC

Harry Maguire's special day - following his England recall - was spoiled by his sending off at Vitality Stadium, but it was the performance of the officials that had United fuming.

From BBC

Related Words

• bristle
• chafe
• rave
• seethe