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fume

noun

  1. gaseous mixture of chemical substances
L16796 on Wikidata ↗

verb

  1. to be in a state of excited irritation or anger
  2. mode of speaking
L16797 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /fjuːm/

noun

Etymology: From Middle English fume, from Old French fum (“smoke, steam, vapour”), from Latin fūmus (“vapour, smoke”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰuh₂mós (“smoke”), from *dʰewh₂- (“to smoke, raise dust”). Doublet of thymus and thymos. More at dun, dusk, dust.

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

    Don't stand around in there breathing the fumes while the adhesive cures.

    the fumes of new-shorn hay

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

    Lead fume is a greyish powder, mainly comprising lead sulfate.

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

    The Fumes of his Passion do as really intoxicate and confound his judging and discerning Faculty , as the Fumes of Drink discompose and stupify the Brain of a Man over - charged with it.

    In his execution of this mission, Mr Tinkler perhaps expressed that Mr Dorrit was in a raging fume.

  4. Anything unsubstantial or airy; idle conceit; vain imagination.

    a show of fumes and fancies

  5. The incense of praise; inordinate flattery.

    to smother him with fumes and eulogies

  6. A passionate person.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English fume, from Old French fum (“smoke, steam, vapour”), from Latin fūmus (“vapour, smoke”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰuh₂mós (“smoke”), from *dʰewh₂- (“to smoke, raise dust”). Doublet of thymus and thymos. More at dun, dusk, dust.

  1. To expose (something) to fumes; specifically, to expose wood, etc., to ammonia in order to produce dark tints.
  2. To apply or offer incense to.

    Tyrian garbs, / Neptunian Albion's high teſtaceous food [i.e., oysters], / And flavour'd Chian wines with incenſe fum'd / To ſlake Patrician thirſt: for theſe, their rights / In the vile ſtreets they proſtitute to ſale; / Their ancient rights, their dignities, their laws, / Their native glorious freedom.

  3. To emit fumes.

    where the golden altar fumed

    Young Chromis and Mnaſylus chanc'd to ſtray / Where (ſleeping in a cave) Silenus lay, / Whoſe conſtant cups fly fuming to his brain, / And always boil in each extended vein; / His truſty flaggon, full of potent juice, / Was hanging by, worn thin with age and uſe; [...]

  4. To pass off in fumes or vapours.

    whose parts are kept from fuming away, not only by their fixity[…]

  5. To express or feel great anger.

    He’s still fuming about the argument they had yesterday.

    He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground.

  6. To be as in a mist; to be dulled and stupefied.

    Keep his brain fuming.