Forms: 1 smocian, smokian, 3 smokien, 3–4 smoken (5 smokyn), 4– smoke; 6–7 smoake, 6–9 smoak. [OE. smocian, f. smoca SMOKE sb. Cf., with different ablaut-grade, MDu. and Du., MLG. and LG., smoken (WFris. smoke), G. schmauchen; also the trans. LG. smöken (whence Da. smøge), G. schmäuchen († schmeuchen):—*smaukjan. See also SMEEK v.]
I. 1. intr. To produce or give forth smoke.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xv. 17. Þa sloh þær micel mist and ferde swilce an ofen eall smociende.
c. 1000. Lambeth Ps. ciii. 32. Se þe æthrinð muntas & hiʓ smociað.
c. 1205. Lay., 25734. Þa iseȝen heo … a muchel fur smokien uppen ane hulle.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 233/460. Al þe se þare aboute barnde and smokede faste.
1388. Wyclif, Gen. xv. 17. A furneis smokynge apperide, and a laumpe of fier.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 460/2. Smekyn, or smokyn, fumo, fumigo.
1530. Palsgr., 723/1. This woode smoketh to moche, it is nat drye ynoughe.
1591. Savile, trans. Tacitus, Agricola, 261. The houses fired and smoking farre of.
1647. Cowley, Mistr., Discovery. The Gods may give their Altars o’re; They’ll smoak but seldom any more.
1700. Dryden, Ovid’s Met., Baucis & Philemon, 52. With Leaves and Barks she feeds her Infant-fire: It smoaks.
1743. Davidson, Æneid, VII. 203. The torch smoaking with grim horrid light.
1815. Scott, Guy M., x. They perceived that she [the ship] grounded, smoked, and, finally, took fire.
1905. F. Young, Sands of Pleasure, II. iii. The cigarette smoked unheeded in her fingers.
b. In fig. uses or contexts.
1535. Coverdale, Deut. xxix. 20. His wrath and gelousy shall smoke ouer soch a man.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. IV., 29 b. Where hertes still burne and malice continually smoketh.
1575. Gascoigne, Glasse Govt., III. i. These young gallants are caught without a net…; no man gladder then I, for as long as that chimney smoketh, I … shall not go hungrie to bed.
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 80. Glory is a perfume fit to smoake no where but before the Altar of vertue.
1677. W. Hubbard, Narrative, 48. To cause his jealousie to smoak against those of his own heritage.
1834. De Quincey, in Tait’s Mag., I. 196/1. Ireland was still smoking with the embers of rebellion.
c. Of a room, chimney, lamp, etc.: To be smoky, to emit smoke, as the result of imperfect draught or improper burning.
1663. Pepys, Diary, 13 Jan. The dining-room smokes unless I keep a good charcoal fire.
1715. Desaguliers, Fires Impr., 31. Every little cranny may be stopp’d up close without fear of the Room smoaking.
c. 1725. Pope, Upon Dk. Marlborough’s House at Woodstock, 8. The chimneys … never smoke in any wind.
1807. P. Gass, Jrnl., 176. We found our huts smoked; there being no chimnies in them except in the officers’ rooms.
1826. Scott, Woodst., xxi. It is best sitting near the fire when the chimney smokes.
1906. H. Wales, Mr. & Mrs. Villiers, xxiii. The lamp had been smoking in his room.
2. To give off or send up vapor, dust, spray, etc.; esp. to steam.
With quot. 1869 cf. SMOKE sb. 1 e.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 226. As smylt mele vnder smal siue smokes for-þikke.
1533. J. Heywood, Mery Play, 21 (Brandl). Whan I haue beten her tyll she smoke.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., IV. (1586), 176. Their labour smokes and all of time [= thyme] doth smell, The Hony sweete that in their Coames they lay.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 97. These often heated meats, which smoaked on the outside, yet were cold on the inside.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 274. The lab’ring Yoke and shining Shares, that make the Furrow smoak.
1732. Pope, Ep. Bathurst, 360. Two puddings smok’d upon the board.
1782. Cowper, J. Gilpin, 127. Which made his horse’s flanks to smoke.
1802. Pinkerton, Mod. Geogr. (1811), 329. The water smokes continually, and is so hot as to scald the hand.
1863. W. C. Baldwin, Afr. Hunting, ii. 57. It rained incessantly the whole night, and we … lay smoking and steaming.
1869. Tennyson, Holy Grail, 18. I have seen this yew-tree smoke, Spring after spring, for half a hundred years.
b. To rise, spread, or move, like smoke.
In later quots. with suggestion of next sense.
1595. Shaks., John, V. iv. 34. This night whose blacke contagious breath Already smoakes [etc.].
1726–46. Thomson, Spring, 194. A yellow mist, Far smoaking o’er th’ interminable plain.
1781. Cowper, Truth, 238. See where it smokes along the sounding plain, Blown all aslant, a driving, dashing rain.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., II. 106. Where the thin clouds smoke along the sky.
1904. J. Conrad, Nostromo, i. They [clouds] … smoke in stormy trails across the snows of Higuerota.
c. To ride, drive, sail, etc., at a rapid pace or great speed. Const. along (prep. or adv.).
1697. Dryden, Æneid, VII. 909. Proud of his Steeds he smoaks along the Field.
1725. Pope, Odyss., III. 615. The coursers … held Their equal pace, and smoak’d along the field.
1735. Somerville, Chase, II. 232. Then like a foaming Torrent, pouring down Precipitant, we smoke along the Vale.
1827. Scott, Chron. Canongate, iii. Smoking along in his travelling chaise-and-four.
1894. Times, 6 Aug., 5/2. The Vigilant came smoking along in style past Ryde.
d. Austr. slang. = SLOPE v.2 1.
1898. Morris, Austral Eng., s.v., ‘Do not say we were here. Let us smoke.’ ‘Smoke’ … is the slang for the ‘push’ to get away as fast as possible.
3. fig. † a. To fume, be angry. Obs.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 212. The Duke … so fumed and smoked at the matter.
a. 1562. G. Cavendish, Wolsey (1893), 47. Evyn so was she commaundyd to avoyde the court…; whereat she smoked.
b. School slang. To blush.
1862. Farrar, St. Winifred’s, iv. ‘Why, you’re smoking now,’ said Henderson, as Walter … began to blush a little.
† 4. To smart, to suffer severely. Obs.
In early use with allusion to actual burning; quot. 1773 partly belongs to sense 2.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 64 b. For feare to bee called heretike, and then they would make hym smoke or beare a faggot.
1595. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., V. 352. The farewell was he would make hym smoake for yt before he departed the towne.
1679. Dryden, Limberham, V. i. Now I am resolv’d I will go see ’em, or some-body shall smoak for’t.
1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., V. No such bad driving; the poor beasts have smoked for it.
II. 5. trans. To expose (a person, place, etc.) to the smoke of some curative, purifying or aromatic substance; to fumigate, esp. as a means of disinfecting.
c. 1000. Saxon Leechd., I. 116. ʓenim þu þas ylcan wyrte, & smoca hit [sc. the child] mid.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 83. [Let him] after smoke him with ensens couenable to þe tyme.
1530. Palsgr., 723/1. I wyll medyll me with no garmentes that were his tyll they be well smoked.
1546. Bale, Eng. Votaries, I. (1560), 92 b. They are … Censed, Smoked, Perfumed and Worshypped.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, I. iii. 60. As I was smoaking a musty roome.
1665. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. IV. 32. I smoke your house twice a week.
1772–84. Cook’s Voy. (1790), IV. 1215. The ship was smoaked between decks with gunpowder.
1796. C. Marshall, Gardening (1813), 398. Orchards, dung, dress, prune, or smoak them.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xxix. The next day was Sunday, and a good day for smoking ship.
b. To expose or subject to smoke, so as to suffocate, stupefy, or make uncomfortable.
It is doubtful whether quots. 1824 and 1825 are based on real knowledge of the phrase they illustrate.
a. 1154. O. E. Chron., an. 1137. Me henged up bi the fet & smoked heom mid ful smoke.
1617. Brathwait, Smoaking Age, G iiij. That Alexander Severus would have smoaked such sellers of smoake.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. Temper, I. 44. Others inverted … were so smoaked and suffocated to death.
1686. W. Harris, trans. Lemery’s Course Chym. (ed. 2), 483. Tabaco kills serpents … if you should smoke them with it.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 358, ¶ 1. After which they have gone in a Body and smoaked a Cobler.
[1824. Scott, Redgauntlet, let. i. Who taught me to smoke a cobbler?
1825. Brockett, N. C. Gloss., Smoke-the-Cobbler, a mischievous pastime among children.]
1900. Pollok & Thom, Sports Burma, vi. 202. They then smoke the bees until they are stupid and partially unconscious.
fig. 1595. Shaks., John, II. i. 139. Ile smoake your skin-coat and I catch you right.
1601. B. Jonson, Every Man in Hum., IV. ii. It vanished away like the smoke of tobacco; but I was smoked soundly first.
1680. V. Alsop, Mischief Imposit. (ed. 2), xii. 98. [They] formed themselves into separate bodies for Government, and were soundly smok’d for it in the high Commission.
c. To fill with, expose to, smoke, esp. so as to blacken, discolor, or render obscure. Also const. through (quot. 1846).
1611. Shaks., Cymb., V. v. 398. Let’s quit this ground, And smoake the Temple with our Sacrifices.
1631. A. Wilson, Swisser, II. i. With some quaint oath in ’s mouth, smoaking his nostrills.
a. 1704. T. Brown, Walk round London., Wks. 1709, III. III. 64. Others … sat smoaking their Noses, and drinking Burnt-Brandy.
1748. Johnson, Van. Hum. Wishes, 85. The painted face … Smoak’d in kitchens, or in auctions sold.
1800. Phil. Trans., XC. 274. I now took two green glasses; but found that they did not intercept light enough. I therefore smoked one of them.
1846. Holtzapffel, Turning, II. 730. The new piece is laid upon the original, the interstices of which are smoked through with a lamp.
1883. H. H. Boyesen, in Century Mag., XXV. 849/1. I copy pictures and he smokes them and sells them as old masters.
d. To cure or preserve (bacon, fish, etc.) by exposure to smoke; to smoke-dry.
1757. Washington, Lett., Writ. 1889, I. 413. I have directed the provision … to be smoked, if there are conveniences for doing it.
1767. Phil. Trans., LVII. 284. The herring … when salted and smoked.
1836. W. Irving, Astoria, III. 251. Having no other food, she killed the two horses, and smoked their flesh.
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), II. 311. Smoking the bacon is much better than merely drying it.
6. † a. With out or away: To convert into smoke. Obs. rare.
1382. Wyclif, 2 Chron. ii. 4. To brennen encense beforn hym, and to swote thingis to ben out smokid.
1686. trans. Chardin’s Trav. Persia, 154. The three Grains of Incense … were strew’d upon a few Embers, and smoak’d away.
b. To drive out or away by means of smoke. Also fig.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., Wks. (Grosart), IV. 230. In smoaking this … trade out of his starting-holes.
1624. Sanderson, Serm., I. 115. The magistrate … that would speedily smoke away these gnats that swarm about the courts of justice.
1720. De Foe, Capt. Singleton, xv. (1840), 259. William … proposed, that they should … smoke them out.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxv. Till we smoke out of his earths the old fox Louis.
1870. Miss Bridgman, R. Lynne, I. iv. 57. He drew out a second cigar, with the … view … of ‘smoking her out.’
† 7. To cause to smoke; to urge at a high speed, Obs.–1
a. 1658. Cleveland, May Day, ii. Whiles Phœbus … Smoaks his bright Teem along on the Grand Paw.
8. To get an inkling of, to smell or suspect (a plot, design, etc.). Now arch. (in common use c. 1600–1850).
1608. Chapman, Byron’s Consp., Wks. 1873, II. 201. Least so he might haue smokt our practises.
1667. Dryden & Dk. Newcastle, Sir M. Mar-all, I. Sir John, I fear, smokes your design.
1733. Fielding, Quix. in Eng., I. viii. Let me iell you,… I begin to smoke a plot. I begin to apprehend no opposition, and then we’re sold, neighbour.
1770. Dibdin, Deserter, II. i. Oh, Oh, I smoke this business.—Comrade, I’m off, I’m off.
1812. Combe, Syntax, Picturesque, X. 214. An honest ’Squire, who smok’d the trick, Appear’d well-arm’d with oaken stick.
1837. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. I. Monstre Balloon, vi. Such a trumpery tale every one of us smokes.
1886. R. F. Burton, Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.), I. 48. The man, not … smoking the plot, waxed exceeding wroth.
b. absol. To have an inkling or idea; to understand. Now arch.
1676. Etheredge, Man of Mode, III. iii. Peace, they smoak.
1688. Shadwell, Sq. Alsatia, IV. I am sharp, sharp as a needle; I can smoak now, as soon as another.
1757. Foote, Author, II. Oh, now I begin to understand…; ecod, I begin to smoke.
1842. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. II. Lay of St. Medard, xxix. St. Medard paused,—he began to ‘smoke.’
9. To make fun of, to jest at; to ridicule, banter or quiz (a person). Now arch.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Smoke him, Smoke him again, to affront a Stranger at his coming in.
1755. Connoisseur, No. 54, ¶ 4. The Bucks … sat in another box, to smoke their rusty wigs and brown cassocks.
1772. Mme. D’Arblay, Early Diary (1889), I. 159. He … suffered us to laugh at his affectation…, even joining in our mirth and seeming happy to be smoaked.
1818. Keats, Lett. (1895), 245. We hated her and smoked her and baited her and I think drove her away.
1859. Thackeray, Virginians, lxxxix. Our young men were accustomed to smoke her, as the phrase then was.
10. To observe, take note of, ‘twig.’ Now arch.
1715. Addison, Drummer, III. i. Thou’rt very smart, my Dear. But see! smoak the Doctor.
1762. Foote, Orator, II. Smoke the justice, he is as fast as a church.
c. 1826. J. Wilson, Noct. Ambr., Wks. 1855, I. 199. Kit, smoke his eyes, how they glare.
1856. ‘T. Gwynne,’ Young Singleton, I. viii. 209. ‘Smoke the big-wig Lund!’ whispered Fotheringay.
III. 11. intr. To inhale (and expel again) the fumes of tobacco, or other suitable substance, from a pipe, cigar or cigarette. † Also with it.
1617. Brathwait, Smoaking Age, 174. The sleeping Dormouse … sleepes but all Winter, but this Man i’th’ Mist smoakes it all the yeare long: hee proportions his nose [etc.].
1687. Montague & Prior, Hind & P. Transv., 17. Your Pipe’s so foul, that I disdain to smoak.
1721. Hearne, Collect. (O.H.S.), VII. 208. Even children were oblig’d to smoak.
1777. W. Dalrymple, Trav. Sp. & Port., xvii. I declined the favour, but the others smoaked about.
1827. Carlyle, Germ. Rom., I. 7. Smoking vehemently on his black stump of a pipe.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, II. xi. Mr. Addison was … smoking out of his long pipe, and smiling very placidly.
1900. Pollok & Thom, Sports Burma, v. 168, 171. He was … never better pleased than when smoking away at a long Shan pipe and drinking raw spirits.
12. trans. To use (tobacco, etc.) as material for smoking. Also fig. (quot. 1840).
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 259. Some … have in the mean while smoaked Tobacco, when it was given them.
1716. B. Church, Hist. Philip’s War (1865), I. 28. Capt. Fullers party being troubled with the … lust after Tobacco, must needs strike fire to Smoke it.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 85. They also smoke tobacco to excess.
1811. [see HASHISH].
1840. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. I. St. Odille, xiv. So put that in your pipe … and smoke it.
1878. H. M. Stanley, Dark Cont., xviii. (1889), 324. The bandits’ custom of smoking banghi (wild hemp).
b. To use (a pipe, cigar, etc.) in the act of smoking; to take (so many whiffs).
1706–7. Farquhar, Beaux’ Strat., I. i. He … smoaks his Pipe Eight and forty Hours together sometimes.
1762. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, VI. vi. My uncle Toby … lighted his pipe, and smoak’d about a dozen whiffs.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., II. 338. I found him … smoking his pipe in the … evening sunshine.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xl. Send down word that he’s to spend the change in cigars…. I’ll smoke ’em.
1902. Eliz. L. Banks, Newspaper Girl, 179. I never saw a woman smoke a cigarette till I came to London.
c. With out (= to the end, completely).
1705. trans. Bosman’s Guinea, 306. Which Pipe thus filled they without ceasing can easily smoak out.
1842. Borrow, Bible in Spain (1843), III. iii. 48. See, I have smoked out your cigar.
1871. M. Collins, Marq. & Merch., II. vii. 216. She smoked one [cigarette] out right seldom.
13. To wear out, waste (away), bring into a certain state, etc., by smoking tobacco or some similar substance.
1604. Jas. I., Counterbl. to Tobacco (Arb.), 106. If a man smoke himselfe to death with it (and many haue done).
1616. R. C., Times’ Whistle (1871), 72. He … smokd out all his living at his nose.
1617. Brathwait, Smoaking Age, 195. Sweet Youth, Smoake not thy time, Too precious to abuse.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 294/2. He who smoaks away the chief of his time.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., Introd. I gradually … smoked myself into a certain degree of acquaintance with [him].
1844. N. Brit. Rev., II. 81. Newton smoked himself into a state of absolute etiolation.
1893. C. G. Leland, Mem., I. 131. To go to their rooms … and smoke them sick or into retreating.
14. intr. Of a pipe: To draw.
1883. W. H. Rideing, in Harper’s Mag., July, 174/2. These ‘church-wardens’ smoke freely and softly.
