First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1fume
noun \ˈfyüm\
: smoke or gas that smells unpleasant
Full Definition of FUME
1
a : a smoke, vapor, or gas especially when irritating or offensive <engine exhaust fumes> b : an often noxious suspension of particles in a gas (as air)
2
: something (as an emotion) that impairs one's reasoning <sometimes his head gets a little hot with the fumes of patriotism — Matthew Arnold>
3
: a state of excited irritation or anger —usually used in the phrase in a fume
— fumy \ˈfyü-mē\ adjective
— on fumes
: with little of the original strength or energy remaining <tired ballplayers running on fumes>
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Origin of FUME
Middle English, from Anglo-French fum, from Latin fumus; akin to Old High German toumen to be fragrant, Sanskrit dhūma smoke, Old Church Slavic dymŭ
Other Chemical Engineering Terms
2fume
verb
: to show or feel anger
: to say (something) in an angry way
: to produce or give off (smoke, fumes, etc.)
fumedfum·ing
Full Definition of FUME
transitive verb
1
: to expose to or treat with fumes
2
: to give off in fumes <fuming thick black smoke>
3
: to utter while in a state of excited irritation or anger
intransitive verb
1
a : to emit fumes b : to be in a state of excited irritation or anger <fretted and fumed over the delay>
2
: to rise in or as if in fumes
See fume defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of FUME
14th century
FUMING Defined for Kids
1fume
noun \ˈfyüm\
Definition of FUME for Kids
: a disagreeable smoke, vapor, or gas —usually used in pl. <noxious fumes>
2fume
verb
fumedfum·ing
Definition of FUME for Kids
1
: to give off a disagreeable smoke, vapor, or gas
2
: to be angry
3
: to say something in an angry way <“Don't ever ask me again,” I fumed.>
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