I. ˈfyüm noun
Etymology: 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
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 ˈfyü-mē adjective
•
- on fumes
II. verb
( fumed ; fum·ing )
Date: 14th century
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