fume

plural fumes

1. A gas or vapour/vapor that is strong-smelling or dangerous to inhale.

   Don't stand around in there breathing the fumes while the adhesive cures.

   1 more example

   the fumes of new-shorn hay

   1753, Thomas Warton, Ode

   Synonyms: effluvium

2. A material that has been vaporized from the solid or liquid state to the gas state and re-coalesced to the solid state.

   Lead fume is a greyish powder, mainly comprising lead sulfate.

3. Rage or excitement which deprives the mind of self-control.

   In his execution of this mission, Mr Tinkler perhaps expressed that Mr Dorrit was in a raging fume.

   1855 December – 1857 June, Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, →OCLC

   1 more example

   The Fumes of his Passion do as really intoxicate and confound his judging and discerning Faculty , as the Fumes of Drink discompose and stupify the Brain of a Man over - charged with it.

   1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London

4. Anything unsubstantial or airy; idle conceit; vain imagination.

   a show of fumes and fancies

   a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a Warre with Spaine. […]”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany Works of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. […], London: […] I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, […], published 1629, →OCLC

5. The incense of praise; inordinate flattery.

   to smother him with fumes and eulogies

   1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC

6. obsoleteA passionate person.

present singular third person fumes · participle present fuming · participle past fumed · past fumed

1. transitiveTo expose (something) to fumes; specifically, to expose wood, etc., to ammonia in order to produce dark tints.
2. transitiveTo apply or offer incense to.

   1 more example

   Tyrian garbs, / Neptunian Albion's high teſtaceous food [i.e., oysters], / And flavour'd Chian wines with incenſe fum'd / To ſlake Patrician thirſt: for theſe, their rights / In the vile ſtreets they proſtitute to ſale; / Their ancient rights, their dignities, their laws, / Their native glorious freedom.

   1740, John Dyer, “The Ruins of Rome. A Poem.”, in Poems. … Viz. I. Grongar Hill. II. The Ruins of Rome. III. The Fleece, in Four Books, London: Printed by John Hughs, for Messrs. R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley, […], published 1759, →OCLC, pages 42–43

3. intransitiveTo emit fumes.

   where the golden altar fumed

   1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   1 more example

   Young Chromis and Mnaſylus chanc'd to ſtray / Where (ſleeping in a cave) Silenus lay, / Whoſe conſtant cups fly fuming to his brain, / And always boil in each extended vein; / His truſty flaggon, full of potent juice, / Was hanging by, worn thin with age and uſe; [...]

   a. 1686, Earl of Roscommon [i.e., Wentworth Dillon, 4th Earl of Roscommon]; Samuel Johnson, “Virgil’s Sixth Eclogue, Silenus”, in The Works of the English Poets. With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, […], volumes X (The Poems of Rochester, Roscommon, and Yalden), London: […] E. Cox; for C. Bathurst, […], published 1779, page 234, →OCLC

4. intransitiveTo pass off in fumes or vapours.

   whose parts are kept from fuming away, not only by their fixity[…]

   1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “(please specify |book=1 to 3)”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC

5. figurativelyintransitive or reporting verbTo express or feel great anger.

   He’s still fuming about the argument they had yesterday.

   4 more examples

   He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground.

   1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

   Her mother did fret, and her father did fume.

   1808 February 22, Walter Scott, “(please specify the introduction or canto number, or chapter name)”, in Marmion; a Tale of Flodden Field, Edinburgh: […] J[ames] Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Company, […]; London: William Miller, and John Murray, →OCLC

   His strong stand has made him a lightning rod for criticism by rail proponents, including some of his own friends. Herb Bridge […] is among Freeman's critics on the rail issue. "[…] I think he has an elitist attitude and doesn't want poor people in his mall," fumed Bridge, who operates a store in Freeman's mall.

   1995 March 3, The Oregonian, page 21

   "Whoever is doing this is not just showing immense disrespect to me as a teacher, but also to the whole Torah and to this whole class and school!" he fumed. "And to God!"

   2019, Abby Chava Stein, Becoming Eve, Seal Press, page 73

6. figurativelyintransitiveTo be as in a mist; to be dulled and stupefied.

   Keep his brain fuming.

   c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]