Library / English Dictionary

FUME

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas

Synonyms:

fume; smoke

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("fume" is a kind of...):

aerosol (a cloud of solid or liquid particles in a gas)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fume"):

gun smoke (smoke created by the firing of guns)

smother (a stifling cloud of smoke)

Derivation:

fume (emit a cloud of fine particles)

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

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be wet with sweat or blood, as of one's face

Synonyms:

fume; reek

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "fume" is one way to...):

exudate; exude; ooze; ooze out; transude (release (a liquid) in drops or small quantities)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be mad, angry, or furious

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "fume" is one way to...):

experience; feel (undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence examples:

Sam and Sue fume

Sam and Sue fume over the results of the experiment

Sense 3

Meaning:

Treat with fumes, expose to fumes, especially with the aim of disinfecting or eradicating pests

Synonyms:

fume; fumigate

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "fume" is one way to...):

process; treat (subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Emit a cloud of fine particles

Example:

The chimney was fuming

Synonyms:

fume; smoke

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Hypernyms (to "fume" is one way to...):

emit; give off; give out (give off, send forth, or discharge; as of light, heat, or radiation, vapor, etc.)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

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

Credits

 Context examples: 

A yellow, oily liquid nitrosamine that solidifies at cold temperatures and emits toxic fumes of nitrogen oxides when heated to decomposition.

(Nitrosonornicotine, NCI Thesaurus)

Inhalation exposure to its dust and fumes irritates the nose, throat and lungs and can cause pneumonitis.

(Beryl Ore, NCI Thesaurus)

CO from these fumes can build up in places that don't have a good flow of fresh air.

(Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of sleepers, holding my breath to keep out the vile, stupefying fumes of the drug, and looking about for the manager.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The air was oppressive; it seemed as if there was some sulphurous fume, which at times made me dizzy.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

A pale yellow, crystalline nitrosourea that is sensitive to light and moisture and emits toxic fumes of nitrogen oxides when heated to decomposition.

(Methylnitrosourea, NCI Thesaurus)

A white to green colored leaflet material that emits toxic fumes of nitrogen oxides when heated to decomposition.

(Michler's Ketone, NCI Thesaurus)

A pale yellow to pink colored, crystalline solid nitrosamine that turns green or orange when exposed to light and emits very toxic fumes of nitrogen oxides when heated to decomposition.

(N-Methyl-N-nitro-N-Nitrosoguanidine, NCI Thesaurus)

A clear, colorless, nonflammable, volatile liquid chlorinated hydrocarbon with a sweet, pleasant smell and emits highly toxic fumes of phosgene when heated to decomposition.

(Methylene Chloride, NCI Thesaurus)

Being exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, dusts, vapors, and fumes can also cause acute bronchitis.

(Acute Bronchitis, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)