smoking
smoking
Pronunciation
smoking /'smoʊkɪŋ/
smo /smoʊ/ - The "s" is a voiceless alveolar fricative, the "m" is a voiced bilabial nasal, and the "o" is a diphthong starting with a rounded back vowel and gliding to a high back rounded vowel.
king /kɪŋ/ - The "k" is a voiceless velar stop, the "i" is a near-front near-unrounded vowel, and the "ng" is a voiced velar nasal.
Word Form Variations
Verb:
Base form: smoke
Present participle: smoking
Past tense: smoked
Past participle: smoked
Third-person singular present: smokes
Noun:
Singular: smoke
Plural: smokes
Gerund: smoking (functions as a noun)
Adjective: smoking (e.g., "smoking gun")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb: smoking
Present participle of "smoke": The act of inhaling and exhaling the smoke of tobacco or other substances, typically from a cigarette, cigar, or pipe.
Synonyms: puffing, dragging, lighting up, indulging
Antonyms: abstaining, quitting, refraining
Present participle of "smoke": The emission of smoke or visible vapor, especially from a fire, engine, or chimney.
Synonyms: fuming, smoldering, steaming, exhaling
Antonyms: clearing, dissipating, vanishing
Noun: smoking
The act or habit of inhaling and exhaling the smoke of tobacco or other substances:
Synonyms: tobacco use, puffing, habit, addiction
Antonyms: abstinence, cessation, quitting, non-smoking
The process by which food is cured, flavored, or preserved by exposure to smoke:
Synonyms: curing, preservation, flavoring, barbecuing
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as this describes a process; perhaps "unsmoked" or "fresh" for the resulting food)
Adjective: smoking
Emitting smoke; giving off visible vapor:
Synonyms: smoldering, fuming, steaming, reeking (if with a strong odor)
Antonyms: smokeless, clear, unsmoked, ethereal
Informal: Excellent, impressive, or outstanding (often used to describe a performance or achievement):
Synonyms: phenomenal, superb, stellar, brilliant, amazing
Antonyms: mediocre, subpar, terrible, disappointing, uninspired
Examples of Use
Books:
"He paused, his eyes fixed on the smoking ruins of the building, a testament to the night's inferno." (From The Fireman by Joe Hill, May 2016)
"The detective found a smoking gun beside the victim, leaving little doubt about the perpetrator." (Common trope in mystery novels)
Newspapers:
"New regulations aim to curb public smoking in designated areas, drawing both praise and criticism from citizens." (Reported in The New York Times)
"Firefighters responded to a call concerning a smoking vehicle on the highway, causing traffic delays." (Daily Nation)
Online Publications:
"The chef demonstrated his technique for perfectly smoking brisket, a succulent dish that promises to impress." (Published on Serious Eats)
"Is Vaping as Harmful as Cigarette Smoking? Experts Weigh In." (Article on WebMD)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: A character might deliver the line, "That's a smoking hot deal!" (Common in comedies or action films)
Television Series: In a crime drama, a police officer might comment, "We've got a smoking lead on this case."
Music: A song lyric could be, "Got that smoking rhythm, makes you want to dance." (Example of a song about music/dance)
Video Games: A character in a game might say, "You just pulled off a smoking trick!" after a successful maneuver.
General Public Discourse:
"The anti-smoking campaign seems to be having a real impact on younger generations." (Heard in a public health discussion)
"That new restaurant has some incredible smoking ribs; you have to try them." (Conversation among friends)
"After the long drive, the car engine was practically smoking." (Everyday description of an overheated engine)
10 Quotes Using Smoking
"Quitting smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times." (Mark Twain)
"The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly Saddam can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud." (Condoleezza Rice)
"I took up smoking just to assure myself I wasn't perfect." (Unknown)
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs." (William Shakespeare)
"If you resolve to give up smoking, drinking and loving, you don't actually live longer; it just seems longer." (Clement Freud)
"When there is nothing else to say, I go for a smoke." (Gustavo Cerati)
"I never smoke to excess - that is, I smoke in moderation, only one cigar at a time." (Mark Twain)
"My rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them." (Winston Churchill)
"Smoking is hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, and dangerous to the lungs." (King James I)
"The true face of smoking is disease, death and horror - not the glamour and sophistication the pushers in the tobacco industry try to portray." (David Byrne)
Etymology
The word "smoking" comes from the Old English word "smocian," which meant "to emit smoke" or "to generate smoke." This root word itself is thought to be connected to even older Germanic words that had similar meanings related to vapor or mist.
The very first known use of "smoke" (from which "smoking" derives) in English, back in the Old English period, referred simply to the visible vapor or fumes given off by burning material. So, the initial meaning was very straightforward: "to produce smoke." Over time, as people started intentionally inhaling smoke, particularly from tobacco, the meaning of "smoking" evolved to specifically describe that human activity.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Smoking
Smoking gun: Conclusive evidence or proof, especially that which leads to an immediate and damning conclusion.
Smoking hot: Very attractive or extremely good; impressive.
No smoking: A common sign indicating that smoking is prohibited in an area.
Smoking area: A designated place where smoking is permitted.
Smoking section: A part of a restaurant or venue where people are allowed to smoke.
Smoking lamp is lit/out: A nautical phrase indicating whether smoking is permitted or prohibited.
Smoking deal: An exceptionally good offer or bargain.
Smoking like a chimney: To smoke a great deal, continuously.
Smoking kills: A public health warning found on tobacco products and in anti-smoking campaigns.
Smoking a peace pipe: A metaphorical expression for making peace or resolving a conflict, derived from a Native American tradition.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of smoking from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
