[fume] n [ME, fr. MF fum, fr. L fumus; akin to OHG toumen to be fragrant, Skt dhuma smoke, OCS dymu] (14c) 1 a: a smoke, vapor, or gas esp. when irritating or offensive "engine exhaust ~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 ~s of patriotism --Matthew Arnold"
3: a state of excited irritation or anger--usu. used in the phrase in a fume -- fumy adj
[2]fume vb fumed ; fum.ing vt (14c) 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 ~ vi 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