fume
/fjuːm/ (bre, ipa) · /fjuːm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfyüm/ (ame, mw)
fume — verb
- fumepresent simple I / you / we / they
- fumeshe / she / it
- fumedpast simple
- fuming-ing form
1. to feel or show very strong anger, often keeping some of the anger inside rather
to feel or show very strong anger, often keeping some of the anger inside rather than saying everything that comes to mind.
Paloma fumed silently when her colleague took credit for months of hard work.
intransitive + adverb (silently) for suppressed anger
Passengers fumed about the three-hour delay after boarding the plane.
fume + about + cause of anger
Sahil was still fuming an hour after his landlord refused to fix the leak.
Rather than fuming in traffic, Élise listened to an audiobook to relax.
The coach fumed at the referee's decision during the final match.
文法句型
fume + at/about/over + noun
fume + (silently/internally)
用法筆記
Often used in the continuous form (be fuming) to describe an ongoing angry state. The object of anger is typically introduced by at, about, or over.
常見錯誤
2. to send out smoke, gases, or vapors into the air, especially in an unpleasant or
to send out smoke, gases, or vapors into the air, especially in an unpleasant or harmful way.
The old factory chimney fumed thick black smoke over the neighborhood.
transitive: fume + emitted substance
Chemical plants along the river continued to fume day and night.
intransitive use without direct object
The exhaust pipe fumed white vapor into the cold morning air.
The volcano continued to fume ash and sulfur long after the main eruption ended.
文法句型
fume + noun (object of emission)
fume (no object)
用法筆記
Less common than the anger sense. When used transitively, the object is the substance being emitted (smoke, gas, vapor). Commonly appears in technical or environmental descriptions.
3. to treat an enclosed space or object with chemical smoke or gas in order to kill
to treat an enclosed space or object with chemical smoke or gas in order to kill harmful insects, bacteria, or other pests.
The pest control team fumed the entire warehouse to kill the termites.
transitive: fume + location
Farmers used sulfur to fume empty grain silos before the new harvest.
fume + for purpose (fumigation)
The hotel was closed for two days while workers fumed each guest room.
Vivek learned how to fume beehives to calm the bees before collecting honey.
文法句型
fume + noun (location/object)
用法筆記
This sense is uncommon in everyday English; the synonym fumigate is far more frequent. You may encounter fumed in historical or specialized texts about pest control or disinfection.
常見錯誤
fume — noun
1. air that contains smoke, gas, or chemical vapors, especially when it is unpleasa
air that contains smoke, gas, or chemical vapors, especially when it is unpleasant, harmful, or has a strong smell.
The firefighters wore masks to protect themselves from toxic fumes inside the burning building.
collocation: toxic fumes
Exhaust fumes from cars and buses make the city air hard to breathe.
collocation: exhaust fumes
Talia opened the lab window to let out the strong chemical fumes.
The kitchen filled with fumes after Liang accidentally burned the toast.
文法句型
toxic fumes
exhaust fumes
fumes from + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form fumes in everyday English, even when referring to a single type of gas or vapor (e.g., car fumes, paint fumes).
常見錯誤
2. extremely small solid particles that float in the air or in another gas, typical
extremely small solid particles that float in the air or in another gas, typically produced by industrial or chemical processes.
The factory released fine metal fumes that slowly settled on nearby houses and gardens.
collocation: metal fumes
Scientists measured lead fumes in the air around old battery recycling plants.
Workers wore special filters to avoid breathing in silica fumes during cutting.
Caio studied how welding fumes affect the lungs of factory workers over many years.
文法句型
metal fumes
fumes of + substance
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (HARMFUL SMOKE OR GAS): this sense refers specifically to solid particles suspended in a gas, not to visible smoke or chemical vapors. More common in technical and scientific writing.
3. a strong emotion or influence that clouds a person's ability to think clearly or
a strong emotion or influence that clouds a person's ability to think clearly or make sensible decisions.
The fumes of jealousy clouded her judgment about her colleague's promotion.
figurative: fumes of jealousy
Renata made the decision in a fume of anger, without stopping to consider the consequences.
structure: in a fume of + emotion
The fumes of resentment among the team members made every meeting unproductive.
Under the fumes of exhaustion, Ezra agreed to a deal he would later regret.
文法句型
fumes of + emotion
in a fume of + emotion
用法筆記
This sense is figurative and primarily found in literary or formal writing. It draws a metaphor from physical fumes that obscure vision. Much less common than the literal senses of fume.
4. a condition of being extremely annoyed or angry, often shown through one's behav
a condition of being extremely annoyed or angry, often shown through one's behavior or expression.
Zuri stormed out of the office in a fume after arguing with her boss.
phrase: in a fume
The restaurant owner was in a fume when he saw the delivery of spoiled fish.
Camila left the meeting in a fume, muttering about the unfair budget cuts.
The teacher was in a fume over students who had cheated on the final exam.
- rage
stronger, often implies loss of control
- temper
a more general term for a state of anger
- fit of anger
a temporary, often sudden, burst of anger
- calm
a state free from anger or agitation
文法句型
in a fume
in a fume about/over/at
用法筆記
Primarily used in the fixed phrase in a fume. This sense overlaps with the verb sense (SEETHE WITH ANGER), but while the verb describes the action of feeling angry, this noun sense describes the state or condition. More typical in British English than American English.