FUME

smoke, fume

(noun) a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas

reek, fume

(verb) be wet with sweat or blood, as of one’s face

fume

(verb) be mad, angry, or furious

fumigate, fume

(verb) treat with fumes, expose to fumes, especially with the aim of disinfecting or eradicating pests

fume, smoke

(verb) emit a cloud of fine particles; “The chimney was fuming”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

fume (plural fumes)

A gas or vapour/vapor that is strong-smelling or dangerous to inhale.

A material that has been vaporized from the solid or liquid state to the gas state and re-coalesced to the solid state.

Rage or excitement which deprives the mind of self-control.

Anything unsubstantial or airy; idle conceit; vain imagination.

The incense of praise; inordinate flattery.

(obsolete) A passionate person.

Usage notes

• In the sense of strong-smelling or dangerous vapor, the noun is typically plural, as in the example.

Verb

fume (third-person singular simple present fumes, present participle fuming, simple past and past participle fumed)

(transitive) To expose (something) to fumes; specifically, to expose wood, etc, to ammonia in order to produce dark tints.

(transitive) To apply or offer incense to.

(intransitive) To emit fumes.

(intransitive) To pass off in fumes or vapours.

(intransitive, figuratively) To express or feel great anger.

(intransitive, figuratively) To be as in a mist; to be dulled and stupefied.

Source: Wiktionary


Fume, n. Etym: [L. fumus; akin to Skr. dh smoke, dh to shake, fan a flame, cf. Gr. fum smoke, F. fumée. Cf. Dust, n., Femerell, Thyme.]

1. Exhalation; volatile matter (esp. noxious vapor or smoke) ascending in a dense body; smoke; vapor; reek; as, the fumes of tobacco. The fumes of new shorn hay. T. Warton. The fumes of undigested wine. Dryden.

2. Rage or excitement which deprives the mind of self-control; as, the fumes of passion. South.

3. Anything vaporlike, unsubstantial, or' airy; idle conceit; vain imagination. A show of fumes and fancies. Bacon.

4. The incense of praise; inordinate flattery. To smother him with fumes and eulogies. Burton. In a fume, in ill temper, esp. from impatience.

Fume, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fumed; p. pr. & vb. n. Fuming.] Etym: [Cf. F. fumer, L. fumare to smoke. See Fume, n.]

1. To smoke; to throw off fumes, as in combustion or chemical action; to rise up, as vapor. Where the golden altar fumed. Milton. Silenus lay, Whose constant cups lay fuming to his brain. Roscommon.

2. To be as in a mist; to be dulled and stupefied. Keep his brain fuming. Shak.

3. To pass off in fumes or vapors. Their parts pre kept from fuming away by their fixity. Cheyne.

4. To be in a rage; to be hot with anger. He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground. Dryden. While her mother did fret, and her father did fume. Sir W. Scott. To tame away, to give way to excitement and displeasure; to storm; also, to pass off in fumes.

Fume, e. t.

1. To expose to the action of fumes; to treat with vapors, smoke, etc.; as, to bleach straw by fuming it with sulphur; to fill with fumes, vapors, odors, etc., as a room. She fumed the temple with an odorous flame. Dryden.

2. To praise inordinately; to flatter. They demi-deify and fume him so. Cowper.

3. To throw off in vapor, or as in the form of vapor. The heat will fume away most of the scent. Montimer. How vicious hearts fume frenzy to the brain! Young.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

19 April 2024

SUSPECT

(verb) hold in suspicion; believe to be guilty; “The U.S. suspected Bin Laden as the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks”


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