smoke definition

1. To crash or blow up, usually spectacularly. "The new version smoked, just like the last one." Used for both hardware (where it often describes an actual physical event), and software (where it's merely colourful).

2. [Automotive slang] To be conspicuously fast. "That processor really smokes." Compare magic smoke.

(01 Jul )

1. To apply smoke to; to hang in smoke; to disinfect, to cure, etc, by smoke; as, to smoke or fumigate infected clothing; to smoke beef or hams for preservation.

2. To fill or scent with smoke; hence, to fill with incense; to perfume. "Smoking the temple."

3. To smell out; to hunt out; to find out; to detect. "I alone Smoked his true person, talked with him." (Chapman) "He was first smoked by the old Lord Lafeu." (Shak) "Upon that . . . I began to smoke that they were a parcel of mummers." (Addison)

4. To ridicule to the face; to quiz.

5. To inhale and puff out the smoke of, as tobacco; to burn or use in smoking; as, to smoke a pipe or a cigar.

6. To subject to the operation of smoke, for the purpose of annoying or driving out; often with out; as, to smoke a woodchuck out of his burrow.

1. The visible exhalation, vapor, or substance that escapes, or expelled, from a burning body, especially from burning vegetable matter, as wood, coal, peat, or the like.

The gases of hydrocarbons, raised to a red heat or thereabouts, without a mixture of air enough to produce combustion, disengage their carbon in a fine powder, forming smoke. The disengaged carbon when deposited on solid bodies is soot.

2. That which resembles smoke; a vapor; a mist.

3. Anything unsubstantial, as idle talk.

4. The act of smoking, especially. Of smoking tobacco; as, to have a smoke.

Smoke is sometimes joined with other word. Forming self-explaining compounds; as, smoke-consuming, smoke-dried, smoke-stained, etc. Smoke arch, the smoke box of a locomotive. Smoke ball, a small sail in the lee of the galley stovepipe, to prevent the smoke from annoying people on deck.

<botany> Smoke tree, a shrub (Rhus Cotinus) in which the flowers are mostly abortive and the panicles transformed into tangles of plumose pedicels looking like wreaths of smoke. To end in smoke, to burned; hence, to be destroyed or ruined; figuratively, to come to nothing.

Synonyms: Fume, reek, vapor.

Origin: AS. Smoca, fr. Smeocan to smoke; akin to LG. & D. Smook smoke, Dan. Smog, G. Schmauch, and perh. To Gr. To burn in a smoldering fire; cf. Lith. Smaugti to choke.