Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(a) to suspect.

1552		G. Walker Detection of Vyle and Detestable Use of Dice Play 39: When the money is lost, the cousin begins to smoke, and swear that the drunken knave shall not get his money.
1607		Dekker Jests to Make you Merrie in Grosart Works (1886) II 329: Kinchen, the coue towres, which is as much as, Fellow, the man smokes or suspects you.
1667		Dryden Sir Martin Mar-all I i: Sir John, I fear, smoaks your Design.
1676		Etherege Man of Mode III iii: Peace, they smoke.
1680		M. Stevenson Wits Paraphras’d 16: My Father mought not been so rough: / I smoke the business well enough.
1706		Swift ‘Vanbrugh’s House’ in Chalmers Eng. Poets XI (1810) 377/2: Van [...] Takes a French play as lawful prize, / Steals thence his plot and every joke. / Not one suspecting Jove would smoke.
1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: smoke to suspect or smell a Design.
1734		J. Gay Distressd Wife III iv: I believe Sir Thomas smoaks their Intimacy.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. 1725].
1741		Ordinary of Newgate Account 18 Mar. Pt II 7: The Gang surrounding the Ladies in order to make a greater Croud, and help Jenny off if she should be smoak’d.
1757		Foote Author in Works (1799) I 155: I begin to smoke, hey! Mr Cape? [...] Guilty or not?
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1824		J. Wight Mornings in Bow St. 119: He smoked Miss Charlotte Long’s character.
1828		F.F. Cooper Elbow-Shakers! I ii: Why, Bill, that’s the chap we saw last night; – d’ye think he’ll smoke us?
1837		A. Greene Glance at N.Y. II ii: I’m afraid he’ll smoke if I go it on him too strong.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.

(b) (UK Und.) of a member of a pickpocket team, to select a potential victim.

1591

Greene Notable Discovery of Coosnage in Grosart (1881–3) X 38: In Figging law. The picke pocket, a Foin He that faceth the man, the Stale Taking the purse, Drawing Spying of him, Smoaking The purse, the Bong The monie, the Shels The Act doing, striking.

(c) to uncover or discover a person, used passively.

1591		Greene Art of Conny-Catching in Grosart (1881–3) 13: The Foist, the pick-pockets (sir reuerence I meane) is cros-bitten by the Snap, and so smoakt for his purchase.
1608		Dekker Lanthorne and Candle-Light Ch. 5: The two Free-booters seeing themselues smoak’d told their third Brother.
1611		Middleton & Dekker Roaring Girle V i: Zounds, we are smoked!
1624		Massinger Renegado IV i: All is come out, sir. We are smok’d for being cunnicatchers.
1637		R. Brome Eng. Moor IV v: I fear we shall be smoak’d then.
1654		Mercurius Fumigosus 16 13–20 Sept. 142: They both fell fast asleep, and so were smoak’d (or found out) he with his hand upon her nunquam satis.
1741		Ordinary of Newgate Account of Malefactors executed at Tyburn 18th Mar. 1740 🌐 Some time or other when you are out upon Business, you may be smoak’d, and then perhaps all may be blown.
1764		Bloody Register III 171: The gang surrounded the ladies in order to make a greater croud, and help Jenny off if she should be smoaked.

(d) (also smoke out) in active senses, to discover, to unmask a person or thing.

1592		Greene Defence of Conny-Catching 7: I haue for 3. pence bought a little Pamphlet, that hath taught me to smoke such a couple of knaues as you be.
1608		Dekker Belman of London H3: He [...] layes waite to smoake or Boyle him.
1621		Jonson Masque of Augurs in Moxon Works 230: Sir, we do come from among the brew-houses,... that’s true, there you have smoked us.
1632		Massinger City-Madam III i: I’le hang you both you rascalls [...] You for a purse you cut In Powl’s at a sermon; I have smoak’d you.
1667		Dryden Sir Martin Mar-all III i: I will not thank you for the Courtesie, which now I find you never did intend me—this is Confederacy, I smoak it now.
1669		R. L’Estrange Fables of Aesop (1926) 6: The Cunning Gypsy smoak’d the Matter presently.
1682		‘The (Dis-)Loyal Feast’ in Ebsworth Roxburghe Ballads (1885) V:1 149: But Royal Charles he smoak’d out the thing, / and sent the rabble with a Pox away.
1693		Congreve Old Bachelor III ii: Oh! I begin to smoke ye.
1700		N. Ward London Spy XV 365: The Butcher Smoking the Cheat, Not I, by my Troth, Doctor.
1707		Farquhar Beaux’ Strategem II ii: The devil! how d’ye smoke ’em?
1719		in D’Urfey Pills to Purge Melancholy II 284: But Tony’s luck was confounded, The Duke soon smoak’d him a Round-head.
1728		Vanbrugh & Cibber Provoked Husband II i: How will you prevent the Family’s smoking your Design?
1738		Swift Polite Conversation 42: I smoakt her huge Nose; and I’gad, she put me in Mind of the Woodcock, that strives to hide his long Bill, and then thinks no Body sees him.
1749		Fielding Tom Jones (1959) 100: I smoke it; I smoke it, Tom is certainly the father of this bastard.
1750		N.Y. Gazette Revived 15 Jan. 3/1: Old Wisewood smoak’d the Matter as it was.
1760		Foote Minor Introduction 4: If he smokes me for the author, I shall be dash’d out of her codicil.
1773		Foote The Bankrupt II ii: Should they smoke his design...
1788		Morris et al. ‘Song’ Festival of Anacreon (1810) 39: For should Sir Fletcher smoke the joke, / He’d bring it in crim. con.!
1796		T. Morton Way to Get Married in Inchbold (1808) XXV 32: Let me get off these trappings – the Londoner will smoke me.
1806		G. Colman Yngr John Bull II i: I have smoked him.
1812		Spirit of Irish Wit 254: The coachman having by this time smoaked his sword.
1812		W. Combe Doctor Syntax, Picturesque (1868) 34/2: An honest ’Squire, who smok’d the trick.
1821–6		‘Bill Truck’ Man o’ War’s Man (1843) 265: We mustn’t allow Jonathan to smoke us [...] let us get out of this place.
1832		J.K. Paulding Westward Ho! I 123: I began to smoke him for one of these fellers that drive a sort of trade of making books about Old Kentuck.
1833		Satirist (London) 5 May 13/1: He has smoked the inefficiency of the Tory machinery of Government.
1838		Thackeray Yellowplush Papers in Works III (1898) 342: It’s you yourself, you thief of the world: we smoked you from the very beginning.
1840		R. Barham ‘Lay of St. Medard’ Ingoldsby Legends (1842) 284: He ‘smelt the rat,’ and he ‘smoked’ the trick.
1842		Wkly Rake (NY) 24 Sept. n.p.: ‘Did n’t no one smoke you?’ ‘D— n it, no!’.
1853		Delhi Sketch Bk 1 Sept. 55/1: It will not seem astonishing that he should have been long ago smoked.
1858		A. Mayhew Paved with Gold 255: I thought he was a ‘queer gill’ (suspicious) at first, and smoked us, from what he palavered to Phil when he gave him his ‘deux-wins’ (twopence).
1865		‘Toasts & Sentiments’ Rambler’s Flash Songster 48: May all who smoke my meaning get good shagg in Petticoat-lane.
1877		Five Years’ Penal Servitude 220: He stayed in a place doing the grand, and sucking the flats, till the folks began to smoke him as not all there.
1881		Newcastle Courant 2 Dec. 6/6: The Nobbler has been here. He hasn’t smoked me, however, or I’d have mizzled.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 28 Mar. 10/1: At length, when half the country round / Had ‘smoked’ the stillers’ game, / To make the capture doubly sure, / Two special troopers came.
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 76: Smoke, to discover.
1900		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 12 Dec. 1/1: Our suggest [...] will probably be tested, unless his police pals ‘smoke’ him out of the way.
1910		Teleg. (Brisbane) 30 Sept. 3/8: When questioned about Gill, the accused said, ‘I smoked the other man away to Sydney in the train to-day’.
1913		Van Loan ‘The Mexican Marvel’ Lucky Seventh (2004) 187: I [...] started to pump him a little, and he smoked me out right away.
1934		J.L. Kuethe ‘Prison Parlance’ in AS IX:1 27: smoke. To look at; to notice.
1955		D. Hitchens Sleep with Strangers (1983) [ebook] That sum should smoke out something if there was anything to get.
2006		Burns & Zorzi ‘Unto Others’ Wire ser. 4 ep. 7 [TV script] Couldn’t smoke out who was pullin’ the strings.
2011		F. Bill ‘Coon Hunter’s Noir’ in Crimes in Southern Indiana [ebook] [T]racking the Vietcong to their underground supply tunnels in Cu Chi. Smoking their Commie asses out.

(e) as imper., take notice of.

1716		J. Addison Drummer III i: But see! smoak the doctor.
1738		Swift Polite Conversation 45: Pray, Madam, smoak Miss yonder biting her Lips.
1754		T. Sheridan Brave Irishman I ii: Smoke his sword.
1762		Foote Orators in Works (1799) I 211: Smoke the justice, he is as fast as a church.
1797		Sporting Mag. May X 115/1: Smoke the quiz, with his long knuckle dabs.
1820		‘Jacko and Judas’ Slops Shave at a Broken Hone 19: ‘Now, Jacko, quiz the King.’ – ‘Now smoke the parson.’.
1856		‘T. Gwynne’ Young Singleton viii: ‘Smoke the big-wig Lund!’ whispered Fotheringay, winking at Mat .

(f) (US) to understand.

1738		Swift Polite Conversation 36: Ay, but Tom, smoak that, she calls you Puppy by Craft.
1872		‘Mark Twain’ Innocents at Home 332: You don’t smoke me and I don’t smoke you.

(a) to cheat, to deceive; thus smoker n., one who deceives; smoking n., deception.

1661		‘Peter Aretine’ Strange Newes 5: Bess. We two so smoakt him [...] that by drinking, sporting and kissing the fool lost his purse, but how he knew not.
1688		T. Shadwell Squire of Alsatia IV i: I am not so dark neither; I am sharp, sharp as a needle. I can smoke now, as soon as another.
1797		M. Leeson Memoirs (1995) III 201: By Jupiter, he has fairly smoked us all.
1812		G. Colman Yngr ‘Two Parsons’ Poetical Vagaries 136: These wooden Wits, these Quizzers, Queerers, Smokers.
1834		A. Greene Perils of Pearl Street 77: The fellow takes me for a country dealer. Good! I’ll smoke him.
1861		R.F. Burton City of the Saints 103: In this age [...] the western man has become more sensitive to the operation of ‘smoking’.
1863		‘Paddy Burke’ Donnybrook-Fair Comic Songster 66: May the Peter Funks rope ’em, / And John Anderson smoke ’em.
1992		J. Mowry Way Past Cool 74: Figure that pussy little sucker gonna smoke Miss Crabtreee into marryin him?

(b) to ridicule or attack a stranger verbally as soon as they enter the room; thus smoking n., an act of ridiculing someone.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Smoke him, Smoke him again, to affront a Stranger at his coming in.
1733		Swift Ans. to Sheridan’s New Simile n.p.: With which he made a tearing show; And Dido quickly smok’d the beau [F&H].
1777		Thrale Thraliana i Aug.-Sept. 145: Burney says that smoaking a Man by way of Contempt, comes from se mocquer French & I believe it does.
1781		Mme D’Arblay Diary and Letters (1904) II 14: ‘Oh! [...] what a smoking did Miss Burney give Mr. Crutchley!’ ‘A smoking indeed!’ cried he.
1795		Sporting Mag. Nov. VII 109/1: A fellow that was clever at a joke, / Expert in all the arts to teaze and smoke.
1803		J. Kenney Raising the Wind II i: plain: So, she’s returning [...] Now we’ll smoak her. diddler: (Aside) I’ll join the laugh at all events.
1821		‘An Amateur’ Real Life in London I 559: Zounds! [...] these fellows are smoking us; and, in the midst of my instructions to guard you against the abuses of the Metropolis, we have ourselves become the dupes of an impostor.
1927		(con. 1835–40) P. Herring Bold Bendigo 286: They were well warmed with wine and insisted upon ‘smoking’ Buck Castleton.

(c) to show off.

1888

Kipling ‘The Likes O’ Us’ in Civil & Military Gaz. 4 Feb. (1909) 105: ‘I tell you, sir, an’ I am not smokin’ [swaggering], as you see — I could take that man’.

(d) (US, also smoke it, smoke someone’s ass) to fool, to give the wrong idea; thus smoke up v., to confess, to tell the truth [ass n. (4)].

1905		H. Green Actors’ Boarding House (1906) 62: Better smoke up, Ida. You’re a lyin’.
1905		‘Hugh McHugh’ You Can Search Me 61: Please don’t smoke, there are ladies present!
1985		J. Wambaugh Secrets of Harry Bright (1986) 173: Think he’s smoking it or what?
1993		J. Mowry Six Out Seven (1994) 298: Well, we all kinda po’ here too, man. Don’t let all this blubber smoke your ass.
1996		UGK ‘Good Stuff’ 🎵 Like you major boy you have done played yourself / Too $hort smoked you like a Newport.

(a) (UK teen) to blush.

1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.

(b) (US) to get angry.

1903		A. Adams Log of a Cowboy 360: When my father returned home that night, there was a family round-up, for he was smoking under the collar.
1965		H. Rhodes Chosen Few (1966) 161: Them niggahs got their heads smokin’ and started a young war right in those huts, shootin’ at each other like kids playin’ cops’n robbers.
1967–8		Baker et al. CUSS 199: Smoke Go wild.

(c) (US) to be dangerous (for criminal activity), i.e. to be hot adj. (5a)

1972

O. Hawkins Ghetto Sketches 237: The streets is smokin’ . . . ever since that shit with kwendi, we really been in a bind.