smoke

American  

[smohk] / smoʊk /

noun

1. 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.

2. something resembling this, as vapor or mist, flying particles, etc.

3. something unsubstantial, evanescent, or without result.

   Their hopes and dreams proved to be smoke.

4. an obscuring condition.

   the smoke of controversy.

5. an act or spell of smoking something, especially tobacco.

   They had a smoke during the intermission.

6. something for smoking, as a cigar or cigarette.

   This is the best smoke on the market.

7. Slang. marijuana.

8. Slang. a homemade drink consisting of denatured alcohol and water.

9. Physics, Chemistry. a system of solid particles suspended in a gaseous medium.

10. a bluish or brownish gray color.

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verb (used without object)

smoked, smoking

1. to give off or emit smoke, as in burning.

2. to give out smoke offensively or improperly, as a stove.

3. to send forth steam or vapor, dust, or the like.

4. to draw into the mouth and puff out the smoke of tobacco or the like, as from a pipe or cigarette.

5. Slang. to ride or travel with great speed.

6. Australian.

   1. to flee.

   2. to abscond.

verb (used with object)

smoked, smoking

1. to draw into the mouth and puff out the smoke of.

   to smoke tobacco.

2. to use (a pipe, cigarette, etc.) in this process.

3. to expose to smoke.

4. to fumigate (rooms, furniture, etc.).

5. to cure (meat, fish, etc.) by exposure to smoke.

6. to color or darken by smoke.

verb phrase

1. smoke out

   1. to drive from a refuge by means of smoke.

   2. to force into public view or knowledge; reveal.

      to smoke out the leaders of the spy ring.

idioms

1. go up / end in smoke, to terminate without producing a result; be unsuccessful.

   All our dreams went up in smoke.

smoke ¹ British  

/ sməʊk /

noun

1. the product of combustion, consisting of fine particles of carbon carried by hot gases and air

2. any cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas

3. 1. the act of smoking tobacco or other substances, esp in a pipe or as a cigarette or cigar

   2. the duration of smoking such substances

4. informal

   1. a cigarette or cigar

   2. a substance for smoking, such as pipe tobacco or marijuana

5. something with no concrete or lasting substance

   everything turned to smoke

6. a thing or condition that obscures

7. any of various colours similar to that of smoke, esp a dark grey with a bluish, yellowish, or greenish tinge

8. 1. to come to nothing

   2. to burn up vigorously

   3. to flare up in anger

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verb

1. (intr) to emit smoke or the like, sometimes excessively or in the wrong place

2. 1. to draw in on (a burning cigarette, etc) and exhale the smoke

   2. to use tobacco for smoking

3. slang (intr) to use marijuana for smoking

4. (tr) to bring (oneself) into a specified state by smoking

5. (tr) to subject or expose to smoke

6. (tr) to cure (meat, fish, cheese, etc) by treating with smoke

7. (tr) to fumigate or purify the air of (rooms, etc)

8. (tr) to darken (glass, etc) by exposure to smoke

9. slang (intr) to move, drive, ride, etc, very fast

10. obsolete (tr) to tease or mock

11. archaic (tr) to suspect or detect

Smoke ² British  

/ sməʊk /

noun

1. short for Big Smoke

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smoke Scientific  

/ smōk /

1. A mixture of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other gases, usually containing particles of soot or other solids, produced by the burning of carbon-containing materials such as wood and coal.

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smoke More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing smoke

• chain smoker
• go up in flames (smoke)
• holy cow (smoke)
• no smoke without fire
• watch one's dust (smoke)

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Other Word Forms

• antismoke adjective
• smokable adjective
• smokelike adjective
• unsmoked adjective
• unsmoking adjective

Etymology

Origin of smoke

before 1000; (noun) Middle English; Old English smoca; (v.) Middle English smoken, Old English smocian

Example Sentences

Burning wood, coal and biomass indoors exposes families to high levels of smoke and toxic particles, increasing the risk of respiratory illnesses.

From Barron's

Tse Yuk-wa, who lived on the third floor near where the fire is believed to have started, said smoke wafted into her kitchen but she initially assumed it was dust from the construction.

From Barron's

The 3:30 a.m. alert ordered people to immediately evacuate, but at that point, flames and smoke had been threatening the area for hours.

From Los Angeles Times

The next round number could be reached in record time, and the bond market may no longer look bulletproof when the smoke clears.

From The Wall Street Journal

The siblings, who succumbed to smoke inhalation, were found in the living room about seven feet apart.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• exhaust
• fog
• gas
• mist
• pollution
• smog
• soot
• vapor