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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After burning at least 1,000 acres, officials also issued a smoke advisory for the surrounding area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
"An hour or two of exposure is enough to trigger glycosylation, or the binding of smoke to the sugars in the grapes," said oenology consultant Clement Prelat, who is advising winemakers in the area.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
With black smoke belching high into the sky, Lobga staggers some 90 seconds before collapsing in flames and a U.N. security guard rushes over blasting an extinguisher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
While I would never deign to speak for all critics — I’ve been around enough to know I don’t need that smoke — we’re not generally fans of inscrutability.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
I was a child of fourteen, while he and Willem were already university men, sprouting straggly beards and breathing out cigar smoke with their conversation.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Smoke from a wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park can now be seen 97 miles away in Aberdeen following a change in wind direction.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
"Smoke will continue to affect the area through this afternoon," the US National Weather Service said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
Smoke, combined with high humidity, may cause visibility issues overnight, according to the AQMD, and ash could also fall in the area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2026
Smoke began to intensify, and soon most residents had left their properties.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
A canal to bring a branch of the creek closer to the Smoke; new patterns for the sheep wool their sweaters were made from; a new latrine.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
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
Sander does not romanticize, valorize or flatter them: The even lighting comes from an overcast sky; they are dressed in dark suits and hats, one smokes a cigarette, and each sports a cane.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 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
The great smokes had risen and grown thinner, and the last hours of a sombre day were passing; the red glare of Mordor had died away in sullen gloom.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
"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
The wooden rocker where Pa sat and smoked his pipe by the fire.
From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate
Surgeon General has likened to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
The connection between an older estimated brain age and greater dementia risk remained significant even after researchers accounted for education, smoking, body mass index, physical activity, other medical conditions, and genetic risk factors.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 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
He opens the door and lets Karin and Ilse go out first, and then I shuffle around while holding on to Helena’s hand so that the smoking doctor leaves next.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
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.
