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.
verb (used without object),smoked,smok·ing.
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.
verb (used with object),smoked,smok·ing.
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.
Verb Phrases
smoke out,
to drive from a refuge by means of smoke.
to force into public view or knowledge; reveal: to smoke out the leaders of the spy ring.
Idioms for smoke
go up / end in smoke, to terminate without producing a result; be unsuccessful: All our dreams went up in smoke.
Origin of smoke
before 1000; (noun) Middle English; Old English smoca; (v.) Middle English smoken,Old English smocian
The 491,000-acre August Complex Fire is now the largest blaze in state history, and statewide, a total of more than 3 million acres have gone up in smoke, a record area for a single year.
“Unprecedented”: What’s behind the California, Oregon, and Washington wildfires|Umair Irfan|September 11, 2020|Vox
I am constantly wondering if the tightness in my chest is panic or rage or virus or smoke.
Our Climate-Change Future Is Here|Heather Hansman|September 11, 2020|Outside Online
When a shot is fired, it’s the bang that is heard, the smoke that is felt.
The Rise of American Militias, From Timothy McVeigh to Kyle Rittenhouse|Nick Fouriezos|September 6, 2020|Ozy
The fires fueled huge thunderclouds, which drew between 300,000 and 900,000 metric tons of smoke into the stratosphere — more smoke than any known inferno.
Here’s the summer science you might have missed|Janet Raloff|September 1, 2020|Science News For Students
Maybe there’s too much smog that day from agricultural emissions in the Central Valley, or even too many locals complain that they don’t like smoke.
They Know How to Prevent Megafires. Why Won’t Anybody Listen?|by Elizabeth Weil|August 28, 2020|ProPublica
When it comes to the increasing number of rape allegations leveled at Bill Cosby, the smoke is becoming impenetrable.
Butts, Brawls, and Bill Cosby: The Biggest Celebrity Scandals of 2014 |Kevin Fallon|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“At least it keeps the mosquitoes away,” one of my table-mates said, as we watched the swooshes of smoke waft into the Havana sky.
Canada ♥ Cuba Just Got Complicated|Shinan Govani|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Perhaps the guards at the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities will finally be allowed to smoke cubans, too.
Cigar Dealers Light Up Over Cuba News|Asawin Suebsaeng|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She was separated from her colleagues after they were overcome by smoke and heat and ordered to withdraw.
The Mystery Death Of A Female Firefighter|Christopher Moraff|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Perhaps the smoke of all the early season buzz really did get in the Hollywood Foreign Press's eyes.
15 Enraging Golden Globe TV Snubs and Surprises: Amy Poehler, 'Mad Men' & More|Kevin Fallon|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The music, the lights, the haze of smoke and the scent of food were depressing.
Sally Bishop|E. Temple Thurston
But at this moment noise and smoke seemed to burst out on every side; the officer shouted to him to sound Retire!
Children's Literature|Charles Madison Curry
Could he reverse the steering-gear in all that flame and smoke?
Egholm and his God|Johannes Buchholtz
He was calmly reading a newspaper and having a morning smoke, until it should be time to go out.
Mr. Isaacs|F. Marion Crawford
Both were unhurt, though half stifled by smoke, and greatly alarmed.
The Garret and the Garden|R.M. Ballantyne
British Dictionary definitions for smoke (1 of 2)
smoke
/ (sməʊk) /
noun
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 substanceeverything 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
go up in smokeorend up in smoke
to come to nothing
to burn up vigorously
to flare up in anger
verb
(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
(intr)slangto 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
(intr)slangto move, drive, ride, etc, very fast
(tr)obsoleteto tease or mock
(tr)archaicto suspect or detect
See also smoke out
Derived forms of smoke
smokableorsmokeable, adjective
Word Origin for smoke
Old English smoca (n); related to Middle Dutch smieken to emit smoke
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.