fume
fume Lexical Profile
fume Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A gas, smoke, or vapor that smells strongly or is potentially dangerous to inhale (usually used in the plural).
"The exhaust fumes from the idling buses made it difficult to breathe on the narrow city street."
A state of intense, typically silent, anger or irritation.
"He stomped out of the negotiating room in a fume after his proposal was swiftly rejected."
• verb
To feel, show, or express intense, often suppressed anger.
"She sat at her desk and fumed over the unfair critique she had received from the manager."
To emit or exhale smoke, vapor, or gas.
"The volatile chemical mixture began to bubble and fume the moment it was exposed to the air."
To treat wood, particularly oak, with ammonia fumes to darken its color.
"The craftsman decided to fume the oak panels to give them a rich, antique finish."
• Rhymes for fume
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'fum', from Old French 'fum', originating from Latin 'fumus' meaning 'smoke, steam, or vapor'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.