smoke out
Britishverb
-
to subject to smoke in order to drive out of hiding
-
to bring into the open; expose to the public
they smoked out the plot
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Rather than treating disparate impact as an evidentiary mechanism to smoke out intentional discrimination,” the EEOC’s historical approach contemplates “liability based on disproportionately adverse effects alone,” the OLC opinion explains.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
Keeping smoke out of one individual’s lungs is a small benefit compared to keeping smoking out of the public eye.
From Slate • May 15, 2026
Police and firefighters fenced off the area and a beekeeper was called in to smoke out the bees - a safe way to calm the insects.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2025
Because people get pretty testy when you accidentally smoke out an elementary school or old folks home, burn plans have to clear substantial hurdles presented by the California Environmental Quality Act and air quality regulators.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2025
Pet unfolded itself and drooled dark smoke out of its mouth.
From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi
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.
