/ sməʊk; NAmE smoʊk/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U ] the grey, white or black gas that is produced by sth burning :
cigarette smoke
Clouds of thick black smoke billowed from the car's exhaust.
2.
[ C , usually sing. ] ( informal ) an act of smoking a cigarette :
Are you coming outside for a smoke?
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IDIOMS
- go up in smoke
- (there is) no smoke without fire
- a smoke-filled room
■ verb
1.
to suck smoke from a cigarette, pipe, etc. into your mouth and let it out again :
[ vn ]
He was smoking a large cigar.
How many cigarettes do you smoke a day?
[ v ]
Do you mind if I smoke?
2.
[ v ] to use cigarettes, etc. in this way as a habit :
Do you smoke?
She smokes heavily.
—see also chain-smoke
3.
[ v ] to produce smoke :
smoking factory chimneys
the smoking remains of burnt-out cars
4.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] to preserve meat or fish by hanging it in smoke from wood fires to give it a special taste :
smoked salmon
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PHRASAL VERBS
- smoke sb/sth out
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English smoca (noun), smocian (verb), from the Germanic base of smēocan emit smoke; related to Dutch smook and German Schmauch .