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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His paintings at smoke the moon echo European Impressionism while their frames are ornamented with cast-aluminum sculptures of objects that speak to the artist’s indigenous heritage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
For more than a week after the fire began, residents in Boyle Heights and East L.A. endured acrid smoke as firefighters struggled to put out the flames.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Vegetation fires spreading beyond the immediate burn zone add perhaps hundreds of fatalities from burning, smoke inhalation and vehicle crashes.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
"In the direction of the airport we saw black smoke and fire," one resident told the agency.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
I’m about to say, Of course I have, you smoke all the time, but when I really think about it I realize that’s not true.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Smoke can appear white because its sub-micrometer particles scatter light extremely effectively.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
Smoke rose from the site of the fire as locals picked through the wreckage, an AFP correspondent saw.
From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026
The 2020 killing of Pop Smoke, whose real name was Bashar Jackson, occurred when Jester was 15 years old, according to a sentencing memo written by prosecutors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Smoke swallows civilization while sparks fall around the baroque column of the Fuente de los Luceros.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
Smoke rose from the forges, and hammers rang as kids made their own weapons for Arts & Crafts.
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
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
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
This layer channels that same instinct — and then smokes it up a notch.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2025
But today, sitting in the sunlight garden of a quiet Cannes hotel blocks from the action, Ramsay smokes and sips coffee contentedly.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2025
Ben-Ben swings at the next pitch and smokes a hard ground ball past their first baseman into right field for a base hit.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
For five years, Sister Schubert’s fans asked, begged and eventually petitioned for the return of a frozen food composed of two things: a small smoked sausage and a soft Parker House roll.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026
And he contributed another RBI double in the fifth — this one smoked up the left-field line to drive in one run.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Barrister Arizuna Asante said Djoudi walked past the complainant as he smoked outside the restaurant shortly after 22:15 GMT, before later appearing with Eldahouzze and El Habchi.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
"It would be like smoked ham," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
I took a silver tray of smoked oysters and offered them around the room, keeping a close count as instructed by Viola on how many my brothers took.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
More familiar cardiovascular risk factors, including smoking and excess body fat, were linked to higher inflammation as well.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
For now, however, doctors suggest that Americans address their heart health with tried-and-true methods like exercising more, not smoking, and controlling their blood pressure, according to Caprio.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Then came what appeared to be the evidentiary smoking gun: a lettuce sample that tested positive for Cyclospora.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
Twenty years ago, the hot topics were a smoking ban and carving out space for traditional Bavarian music.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
I noticed the men gathered out front smoking cigars pulled off their hats as she approached.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
