n.
Pronunciation: ' fyüm
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French fum, from Latin fumus; akin to Old High German toumen to be fragrant, Sanskrit dh ū ma smoke, Old Church Slavic dym ŭ
Date: 14th century
1 a : a smoke, vapor, or gas especially when irritating or offensive <engine exhaust fume s > 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 fume s of patriotism ― Matthew Arnold>
3 : a state of excited irritation or anger ― usually used in the phrase in a fume
– fumy \ ' fyü-m ē \ adjective
– on fumes : with little of the original strength or energy remaining <tired ballplayers running on fumes >