smoke n.
1. in fig. senses.
(a) suspicion.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Detection of Vyle and Detestable Use of Dice Play 28: There be divers kind of cogging, but of all other the Spanish cogg bears the bell, and seldom raiseth any smoke. | |
| Mother Bombie I i: Nowe for my wife, I would haue this kept from her, else shal I not be able to keepe my house from smoake, for let it come to one of her ears, & then wo to both mine. |
(b) myth, illusion, fantasy, esp. when actively promoted as disinformation or lies; thus smoky adj., deceptive.
| Menaphon (1927) 77: You meane to follow sute and seruice, though you get but a handfull of smoake to the bargaine. | |
| Ipswich Jrnl 8 Sept. 2/1: We have had Rumours of War [...] for several Years past, which have all ended in pacifick Smoke. | |
![[Scot]](/static/img/flags/sco.png "Scotland") | Caledonian Mercury 24 July 3/2: It is believed all his long Negotiations in Mardrid, from which the French promised themselves so mucvh, is likely to vanish into Smoke. | |
| Kentish Gaz. 18 Sept. 2/1: Great ex[ectations were formed from each event. In what did expectation end? Bot the one and the other ended in — smoke. | |
| ‘Little Joe, the Chimney Sweeper’ in I (1975) 158: Tis they who deal in smoke. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Major Downing (1834) 86: Newspapers were dreadful smoky things, and any body couldn’t read in ’em half and hour without having their eyes so full of smoke they couldn’t tell a pig-sty from a meeting house. | |
| ‘Authors & Actors’ Bentley’s Misc. Feb. 133: I swallowed a quantity of the smoke last night in your new piece. | |
| London Assurance in London Assurance and other Victorian Comedies Act V: I know it will all end in smoke. | |
| Vocabulum 82: smoke Humbug; any thing said to conceal the true sentiment of the talker; to cover the intent. | |
| ‘Fenians Are Coming’ in Curiosities of Street Lit. (1871) 113: Why, says Nell, it will end in a bottle of smoke. | |
| Mirror of Life 6 Oct. 2/3: [He] threatens to re-enter the ring, but such rot invariably ends in ‘smoke’. | |
| ‘Atavism of John Tom Little Bear’ Rolling Stones (1913) 47: And then I began to catch his smoke. | |
| (con. 1920s) Young Manhood in Studs Lonigan (1936) 305: If only they could get a grip on the right words. They couldn’t, and were keenly aware of their smokes. | |
| Horse’s Mouth (1948) 15: Coker was church, teetotal and no smoke. | |
| Alice in La-La Land (1999) 42: ‘Word is he also punches out whores.’ ‘Half that word is bullshit and the other half blue smoke most of the time.’. | |
| Way Past Cool 258: What’s all this shit, man? There too much fuckin smoke in the air tonight. | |
| Eddie’s World 3: It looks attractive but it could just be smoke. | |
![[NZ]](/static/img/flags/nz.png "New Zealand") | Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 171/1: smoke n. = cake. | |
| (ed.) ‘Drill Slang Glossary’ at Forensic Linguistic Databank 🌐 Smoke - disinformation or distraction. |
(c) (US) a fuss.
| Maggie, a Girl of the Streets (2001) 57: ‘What deh hell do dey wanna’ raise such a smoke about it fer?’ [...] He saw no necessity for anyone’s losing their equilibrium merely because their sister or their daughter had stayed away from home. | |
| Spoilers 161: ‘A green ’and might think it a improvement to put it on the ole man, y’see, whereas you ...’ ‘I bar that.’ ‘So do I, Chick; so do I. Makes too much of a smoke, murder does.’. | |
| What They Was 243: Dario says truss me Snoopz, they don’t want this smoke. |
(d) (US) a blur.
| Inter Ocean (Chicago) 25 Jan. 34/3: The remainder of that evening is a good deal of a smoke to me. |
(e) (Aus.) a state of absence, invisibility.
 | ‘Buckled’ in Bulletin 29 May 48/1: I’d gone into smoke for a while and was tryin’ to build up me bank roll by backin’ horses. |
(f) nonsense.
| (con. 1970s) King Suckerman (1998) 47: I could use a little smoke. | |
| (ed.) ‘Drill Slang Glossary’ at Forensic Linguistic Databank 🌐 Smoke - nonsense. |
2. in lit. uses, pertaining to smoking tobacco or drugs.
(a) (also smoking) anything smokeable, a cigar, a pipe, a cigarette, tobacco.
| Lanthorne and Candle-Light Ch. 3: Some lie in ambush to note [...] in what Tobacco-shop in Fleet-street he takes a pipe of Smoake in the afternoone. | |
| Times’ Whistle Sat. V 2219: And skip-iacke now will have his pipe of smoke, And whiff it bravely till hee’s like to choke. | |
| Elynour Rummynge (rev. edn) in Harleian Misc. I (1744–46) 478: Your pipes and your smoakes. | |
| Hebron Rec. (MS) n.p.: Pepoon, Silas, [...] 1 clock, 1 smoke 7/16 [DA]. | |
| Hebron Rec. (MS) n.p.: Pepoon, Joseph, [...] 1 silver watch, 3 smokes 3rd rate [DA]. | |
| Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 19 Mar. n.p.: The milk-maid’s delight is a May day, / But mine is a smoke and a Lass. | |
| Mysteries and Miseries of N.Y. I 77: An it’s a smoke ’ud comfort me poor breakin’ heart! | |
| Adventures of Mr Verdant Green (1982) I 64: If Mr Larkyns was no smoker himself, he at least kept a bountiful supply of ‘smoke’ for his friends. | |
| Eton School Days 10: Want some smoke, eh? | |
| Leeds Times 28 Mar. 6/5: I go across the road and get two or three smokes — they’ve got nothing but pickwicks. | |
| ‘’Arry on His ’Oliday’ Punch 13 Oct. 161/1: The weeds as I’ve blown is a caution; — I’m nuts on a tuppenny smoke. | |
| All Sloper’s Half Holiday 8 May 5/1: Kicking up her leg [...] la Comtesse de Juponcourte ignited a twopenny smoke. | |
| ‘’Arry on Song and Sentiment’ in Punch 14 Nov. 229/1: To cut a fair dash, dress slap-uppish, ’ave fourpenny smokes and good drink. | |
| ‘Private Learoyd’s Story’ Soldiers Three (1907) 21: Ivry time there was a good dhrink an’ a handful o’ good smooaks. | |
| Boy’s Own Paper 16 Feb. 306: The boys having coffee and cakes, their elders coffee and smokes. [Ibid.] 23 Mar. 388: Try these smokes; I am told they are not absolutely repulsive. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Sun. Times (Perth) 14 Feb. 4/5: [He] gave the latter a few of the smokes he had purchased. | |
| Everlasting Mercy 23: A dozen more were in their glories / With laughs and smokes and smutty stories. | |
| Spats’ Fact’ry (1922) 58: His hand trifled mechanically with a packet of ‘smokes’ in his left trouser pocket. | |
| From Coast to Coast with Jack London 106: When a messenger had returned with a box of smokes, Sanders personally saw to the distribution of the cigars. | |
| What Outfit, Buddy? 152: ‘Any cigarettes?’ asked Joyce [...] ‘All out of smokings,’ was the disappointing answer. | |
| Carry on, Jeeves 236: As a matter of fact, I’ve come to touch you for a smoke. | |
| Chicago May (1929) 184: If any relative of mine has fallen so low as to wear a red coat, he deserved to go without smokes. | |
| Put on the Spot 18: The blonde lit a smoke. | |
| There Ain’t No Justice 14: Fred Mutch pulled out a packet of cigarettes. ‘Smoke?’. | |
| Big Con 254: Of course the odd man wins the smokes. | |
| We Were the Rats 122: About time we got an issue er smokes. [Ibid.] 234: I wouldn’t take a man’s last smoke. | |
| One Lonely Night 10: I pulled on a smoke until it caught in my lungs. | |
| Till Human Voices Wake Us 64: What about the smokes you’ve hidden in the lapels of your coat. | |
| Tree of Man (1956) 327: And smoke – Christ, I have curdled me stomach. I have given them away, the smokes. | |
| Long and the Short and the Tall Act II: We caught him with a fag-case stuffed with British army smokes! | |
| We Think The World Of You (1971) 130: There was no doubt of it, he had terribly missed his smokes. | |
| I’m a Jack, All Right 63: Keep an eye on him or he’ll thieve your smokes. | |
| Howard Street 79: Take one of them ten-spots [...] and bring some smokes back. | |
| Start in Life (1979) 178: Got a smoke, mate? | |
| Inner City Hoodlum 30: Johnny took a long drag on his smoke. | |
| Decadence in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 35: Petrol’s up and smokes are dear. | |
| ‘Get Daley!’ Minder [TV script] 37: Got my smokes? | |
| ‘Luck of Clem Carter’ in Heroin Annie [e-book] Do you want anything, smokes? | |
| Homeboy 213: I’ll have your smokes at [...] lunch call. | |
| Chopper From The Inside 133: I borrowed two cartons of smokes for Alex. | |
| Curvy Lovebox 180: I remember my smokes on the kitchen table. | |
| (con. 1970s) King Suckerman (1998) 167: Karras stopped off for [...] smokes and a couple of six-packs. | |
| Yes We Have No 58: She passed out with a lit smoke. | |
| ‘Boob Jargon’ in NZEJ 13 35: smoke n. 2. Cigarette tobacco. | |
| Thanksgiving 39: Real small, about the size of a pack of smokes. | |
| Broken Shore (2007) [ebook] I’ll take a smoke off you. | |
| Snitch Jacket 153: He started rolling smokes on the bar top. | |
| ‘In Savage Freedom’ in Crime Factory: Hard Labour [ebook] Dug out enough [i.e. gold] to pay for his smokes and bullets. | |
| Swollen Red Sun 230: Toothpick between his teeth and a smoke behind his ear. | |
| (con. 1991-94) City of Margins 26: She puts a cigarette between her lips and lights it. She takes a heavy drag. Okay. What now? Finish your smoke, that’s what. | |
| Stoning 79: [T]he young constable fiddled nervously with the smoke tucked behind his ear. |
(b) the action of smoking a cigarette, cigar or pipe; thus do a smoke v.
| Georgia Scenes 213: Mrs. B. [to Mrs. S.]. Well, let’s light our pipes, and take a short smoke, and go to bed [DA]. | |
| Diary in India II 53: A few soldiers, in red and green coats, [were] lounging about, taking an early morning smoke. | |
| Bulletin (Sydney) 13 Jan. 10/2: [H]e had been doing a smoke on the pavement outside when a bobby rushed out to tell him that his especial drunk was on. | |
| Lord Jim 121: ‘It isn’t half-past one yet’ says I; ‘you might snatch a smoke first.’. | |
| ‘Daffydills’ in El Paso Herald (TX) 8 Sept. 8: Winsor the hophead had taken his last smoke. He decided to throw the old bamboo out of the window. | |
| Burton Dly Mail 13 Oct. 4/2: ‘I really don’t know how we should get along without a smoke as it tends to make life a lot more rosier for us’. | |
| Confessions of a Twentieth Century Hobo 120: Nearly seventeen hours without food or drink or a smoke. | |
| Shadows of Men 215: After a long smoke Hypo would imagine he was dying. | |
| Chicago Daily News 23 Nov. 21/2: Just let Quagmire try to sneak a quick smoke—wow! he’s a regular blood-hound [DA]. | |
| Owning Up (1974) 79: Mick was never against featuring soloists (it gave him time for a quick smoke in the wings). | |
| Dly Mirror (London) 24 Dec. 3/1: Must take a smoke [...] have an overwhelming desire to [...] have a cigarette. | |
| Fixx 308: We had a smoke and went to sleep. | |
| Panopticon (2013) 69: The first smoke of the day is always the best for me. |
(c) (Aus.) a party [SE smoker].
| Bulletin (Sydney) 25 Apr. 14/1: On Thursday evening the Redferns held a big ‘smoke’ to celebrate the opening of the season. | |
| Coburg Leader (Vic.) 15 Dec. 2/5: If the Lyndhurst had ‘downed’ the East, in one innings as anticipated there would have been plenty of ‘smokes’ on the job. |
(d) (US) a portion or share taken from a can or pail of beer [the putting of one’s lips to the can and sucking down the beer resembles puffing on a pipe].
| George’s Mother (2001) 122: Youse gits one smoke at d’ can b’cause yeh b’longs t’ d’ gang. |
(e) (drugs) opium.
| ‘Bail Up!’ 215: If you want to enjoy the smoke [i.e. opium], you mustn’t take spirits before it. | |
| Things Chinese 494: The flame of the lamp passes over it, converting part of it into the so-called smoke. | |
| God’s Man 376: You better can that black smoke, young fellow, or it’ll have you in the funny-house. | |
| (ref. to late 1898) Amer. Madam (1981) 271: They looked glum and washed out to me, but maybe they were getting over a session of smoke [opium]. | |
| Farm (1968) 76: I think it was mostly keepin her smoke habit up. | |
| Lowspeak 130: Smoke – opium. | |
| Bismarck Times (ND) 10 Aug. n.p.: ‘Opium is our doctor [...] When your stomach hurts, you take a smoke’. |
(f) the action of smoking opium.
| Edwin Drood in Works 33 (1900) 286: I’ve got a pretty many smokes ready for you, first and last, haven’t I, chuckey? | |
| Falkirk Herald 6 Apr. 2/1: Wanting to have a smoke, and not being able to get opium, is a hundred times worse. | |
| Dead Bird (Sydney) 24 May 7/4: Wobbling round the ring like a dissipated Chinaman after a big smoke. | |
| Actors’ Boarding House (1906) 127: A guy can’t get no coin when he’s dyin’ fur a smoke. | |
| Truth (Sydney) 16 Mar. 11/4: Fashionable swells of women / Do consider it a joke, / For to lay about there daily / For to do their little smoke! | |
| Hop-Heads 82: We’ll run over to ‘the Chink’s’ for a smoke. | |
| Black Mask Aug. III 55: You got the mud, Adams? [...] I’m damn near dead for a smoke. | |
| Traffic In Narcotics 315: smoke. A bout of opium smoking. |
(g) marijuana, esp. a marijuana cigarette.
| N.Y. Times 18 Oct. n.p.: The detectives bought a box of the ‘smokes’ for $2 and then called in the other raiders. | |
![[SA]](/static/img/flags/sa.png "South Africa") | Cold Stone Jug (1981) II 24: He passes me the dagga-smoke again. | |
| Gay Detective (2003) 91: All three were busy with their smokes, tittering and laughing [...] inanely. | |
| ‘Aspiration’ in Kochman Rappin’ and Stylin’ Out (1972) 381: His eyes were mere slits, heavily weighted down by the mellow smoke—light-green marijuana. | |
| Close Quarters (1987) 13: Sometimes he would strop it [...] for hours, especially after we had smoked some smokes. | |
| (con. 1970s) Donnie Brasco (2006) 288: ‘The hard stuff and the smoke is what’s selling big now in New York.’ He had one outlet immediately for 300 pounds of grass. | |
| Powder 321: I’ve got good smoke, here! | |
| ‘Boob Jargon’ in NZEJ 13 35: smoke n. 1. Marijuana. | |
| Night Gardener 166: Wonder how much cocaine and smoke is trading hands in those bathrooms. | |
| Cherry Pie [ebook] ‘A smoke would make it better,’ Chloe said. Joy proffered the Port Royal pack. Chloe shook her head. ‘A smoke smoke. There any around here?’. | |
| Whiplash River [ebook] A scrawny Rastafarian [...] asked her if she’d be interested in some smoke. | |
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | Glorious Heresies 32: [H]e’d go do the various errands that kept the coke and smoke topped up. | |
| ‘Both’ 🎵 Spend this bread on jewels or spend it on smoke. |
(h) the action of smoking cannabis.
| Stories (1985) 73: ‘You guys ready for another smoke?’. | |
| Puberty Blues 115: Comin’ for a smoke? | |
| Godson 211: ‘You guys fancy a smoke?’ she asked. ‘What… pot?’ said Norton. ‘Yeah’. | |
| ‘Politics of Pot’ in What Do You Reckon (1997) [ebook] You’re also sick of paying an arm and a leg for a smoke. | |
| in Living Dangerously 77: We’d always have our friends around, for a drink or a smoke. | |
| Powder 193: They pulled over for a smoke. | |
| Luck in the Greater West (2008) 110: She and Melissa had gone for plenty of smokes with boys. |
(i) crack cocaine.
| Do or Die (1992) 59: Afterwards, we give ’em some smoke. That’s all they was workin’ for anyway, them little biddy rocks we give ’em. | |
| ONDCP Street Terms 19: Smoke — Marijuana; Crack Cocaine; heroin and crack. | |
| Way Home (2009) 176: He had not taken care of himself, with his poor diet, drinking, all manner of smoke, and powder when he could get it. |
3. in context of skin colour.
(a) a derog. term for a black person, also attrib.; thus smokeville n., a community of black people.
| Tennessean (Nashville, TN) 12 July 4/8: A negro named ‘Smoke’ [...] was standing on Cedar Street. | |
| in Zwilling TAD Lex. (1993) 75: He thanked those present for their encouragement…and said he was as near the championship as he could be, considering that a negro held that prize and he refused to quarrel with a ‘smoke’. | |
| Philosophy of Johnny the Gent 73: [T]here ain’t no crap-shootin’, policy-playin’, pigeon-brained, pipe-fiend smoke in the bad lands that’s got a thing in the world on that guy when it comes to bein’ superstitious! | |
| Philosophy of Johnny the Gent 91: ‘Clancy an’ the smoke porter pick him up, chair an all, an’ move him into the back room’. | |
| Sun. Times (Perth) 5 Dec. 2s/4: In some States of America the white youths are taught to consider the negro as no more human than a gorilla [...] When Jeffries goes into the ring against the Big Smoke [i.e. Jack Johnson] we are tipping there will be no hand-shake prior to the first round. | |
| Hull Dly Mail 7 Aug. 1/6: The negro [is] a ‘smoke’. | |
| Day Book (Chicago) 14 Jan. 3/1: A conference has been arranged [...] at which it will be decided what to do with the Big Black Smoke [John Johnson] . | |
| Manhattan Transfer 115: ‘It’s a shine ’at set the fire.’ [...] ‘God, he’s a meanlookin smoke.’. | |
| (con. 1910s) Young Lonigan in Studs Lonigan (1936) 4: He had bashed the living moses out of that smoke who pulled a razor on him. | |
| Kingsblood Royal (2001) 16: I believe the ice pick is preferred now, by the better smokes. | |
| Always the Young Strangers 283: I could see he would like to fight me if I was willing, a ‘snork’ and a ‘smoke’ bloodying each other’s noses. | |
| Pinktoes (1989) 21: Most Negroes live together [...] in their own communities, such being known as black-belts, dark-towns, nigger-slums, fly-burgs, smoke-villes or simply colored districts. | |
| (con. 1949) True Confessions (1979) 27: If you were a smoke, the only way you’d ever make the Express was the day you celebrated your 142nd birthday. | |
| Lang. of Ethnic Conflict 47: Color Allusions, Other than ‘Black’ and ‘Negro’: […] smoke [1920s. Also smokey, -y, and smokey-joe]. | |
| High Cotton (1993) 140: I would come to no good among the no accounts, burrheads, shines, smokes, charcoals, dinges, coons, monkeys, jungle bunnies, jigaboos, spagingy-spagades, moleskins, California rollers, Murphy dogs, and diamond switchers. | |
| (con. 1964–8) Cold Six Thousand 446: I ran that smoke out of town three months ago. | |
| Border [ebook] ‘[N]o drug-slinging smoke is going to murder a white New York City gold shield’. |
(b) as used by a black person, thus not derog.
| Nigger Heaven 13: Blues, smokes, dinges, charcoals, chocolate browns, shines, and jigs. [Ibid.] 192: Ah can’ ’count fo’ duh actions an’ movements o’ dis bunch o’ smokes. | |
| Kingsblood Royal (2001) 236: What does a smoke want of drayma when he can get a bankroll and a nice piece. |
(c) (US) a Mexican.
| ‘Finger Man’ in Pearls Are a Nuisance (1964) 65: ‘I’m making a little play at Las Olindas tonight,’ he said. ‘At Canales’ place.’ ‘The white smoke?’. |
4. any cheap, rotgut alcohol, esp. denatured alcohol shaken up with water and drunk by down-and-out alcoholic tramps [the liquid turns cloudy when shaken].
| Bulletin (Sydney) 10 Aug. 14/1: I am reminded of a pub. out from Adavale (Q.) which I struck one blazing summer day. I was biking it, and had done 40 miles against a head wind. On arrival, I invited ‘mine host’ to join me in a drink – 2s. (‘Bob a nip,’ thinks I – ‘smoke!’). | |
| Cabbages and Kings 58: Bottles of brandy [...] Scotch ‘smoke’ and inexpensive wines behind the little counter. | |
| ‘The World and the Door’ in Whirligigs (1939) 11: Merriam sat in a corner [...] and smoked and drank Scotch ‘smoke’. | |
| New York Day by Day 31 May [synd. col.] ‘Bowery smoke’ – the varnish and acid hooch that sells for 20 cents a shot. | |
| Prison Nurse (1964) 95: These crummy bastards won’t know the difference; most of them never guzzled anything but ‘smoke’. | |
| McSorley’s Wonderful Saloon (2001) 29: A bottle of Canadian whiskey, which she calls ‘smoke’. | |
| Blackboard Jungle 198: What the hell was smoke, anyway? Something alcoholics did with wood alcohol, or denatured alcohol, or something. | |
| Imabelle 34: Ain’t nothing but smoke [...] Lots of folks here in the Valley won’t drink nothing else. | |
| Rage in Harlem (1969) 35: [as 1957]. |
5. (US) the ideal, the best.
| A. Mutt in Blackbeard Compilation (1977) 90: Mutt is the real smoke for President. He will make Mr. Daft and Mr. Chinning look like a couple of cracked crabs. |
6. (US campus) $1 [so small a sum ‘goes up in smoke’].
| ‘Razorback Sl.’ in AS L:1/2 66: That beer cost us twelve smokes. |
7. (US campus) an attractive female.
| Campus Sl. Nov. |
8. (UK Black, also smokie) a gun.
| ‘Hoohaks’ 🎵 I said don't get caught with a smoke / [...] / Niggas dem love gun play, they love putting corn in them clips. | |
| ‘It’s Frying’ 🎵 I'll be in Notre Dame with them smoky things, you know bullets be flying. | |
| ‘Hazards’ 🎵 How you gon' beef, if you ain't got smoke? | |
| ‘Waps’ 🎵 Gang shit, turn up and party with smokies. |
9. (UK black/gang) aggression, conflict.
| (ed.) ‘Drill Slang Glossary’ at Forensic Linguistic Databank 🌐 Smoke - conflict, violence, hostility. |
Pertaining to smoking tobacco or drugs
In compounds
(N.Z. prison) a cannabis cigarette that one has begged from a fellow-inmate.
| Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 106/1: lazy smoke n. a marijuana joint or tobacco cigarette bludged from another inmate. |
(US) an opium den.
| You Can Search Me 33: A ride through this tunnel on a hot day will put you over on Woosey Avenue quicker than a No. 9 pill in Hop Lee’s smoke factory. | |
| Hop-Heads 92: I’m going to scout around and see if it is safe enough for us to go into the Chink’s smoke joint. |
a crack cocaine addict.
| Bonfire of the Vanities 528: We’ve blown the cover on this lowlife smokehead he’s got for a witness. |
1. a crack cocaine addict.
| ‘Corner Boys’ Wire ser. 4 ep. 8 [TV script] Next thing they’re working on some fourteen-year-old smokehound like he’s Bin Laden. |
2. a marijuana smoker.
| Lush Life 8: Geohagen [...] holds up a Ziploc of weed. ‘Because we need more fuckin smokehounds.’. |
see separate entry.
(drugs) anywhere that people can gather to smoke opium, later marijuana.
| (ref. to 1924) Real Jazz Old and New 145: Smoke pad, the cot on which the [opium] smoking is done. |
(US drugs) a place or shop where marijuana is sold, esp. somewhat openly.
| ‘A Nigger’ in Coll. Stories (1990) 29: They’d seen each other around Bunch Boy’s smoke shop at various times. | |
| Teen-Age Mafia 117: Whitey picked her up one night in a skid-row smoke shack. | |
| Spidertown (1994) 64: Buying supplies at a smoke shop on West Fourth Street, bartering for crack vials, and dropping off packages. | |
| 23rd Precinct 15: ‘This block is a problem, ‘ he says as he turned in a slow circle. ‘The smoke shops sell marijuana’. | |
| Blacktop Wasteland 201: ‘He owns a bunch of smoke shops’. |
(US ) an exceptionally sexually attractive individual.
| Urban Dict. 31 July 🌐 smokeshow A word to describe someone so hot that you basically see the smoke coming off them... (sexy bombshell walks into a bar) Dude 1: ‘Dude, check out the smokeshow that just walked in!’ Dude 2: ‘Holy...she's HOT!’. | |
| On the Bro’d 20: [A] Hooters that overflowed with total smokeshows. | |
| google 18 Nov. 🌐 Urban Dictionary defines a ‘smokeshow’ as someone who is ‘so hot’ that ‘you basically see smoke coming off of them.’ Wowzers. Similarly, Wiktionary describes a ‘smokeshow’ as slang for an ‘extremely physically attractive individual’. | |
| Pineapple Street 148: ‘Why do guys get the hot ones?’ ‘Like who?’ ‘Miss Chiquita?’ Sasha countered. ‘Smokeshow,’ Cord agreed. |
1. (US) Pittsburgh, PA, thus Smoketowner, a local inhabitant.
| Brooklyn Dly Eagle (NY) 13 Sept. 23/4: Glazner lived up to everything that the Smokeville boss expected of him. | |
| Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 5 Mar. 11/1: Johnny Hill, her man from Smoketown [...] with wandering optics. | |
| Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 6 Jan. 5: [headline]Lovely ‘Little Bo’ Captivates Smoketowners. | |
| Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 10 July 10/4: Two delightful visiors stopped over in Smoketown. |
2. the African-American area of any US city.
| Round the Clock at Volari’s 101: ‘I’ve been transferred to Smoketown as of this morning.’ ‘That’s a lousy shafting, Pat’. |
(US black) a large and smoky marijuana cigarette.
| Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 smoke wagon Definition: anotha name for a blunt dat clouds up da room Example: I cant see shit. Dat smoke wagon is foggin the room. |
In phrases
1. (drugs) to inhale cocaine.
| ONDCP Street Terms 3: Blow smoke — To inhale cocaine. |
2. (US campus) to smoke marijuana.
| Campus Sl. Fall 2: blow some smoke – use marijuana. |
to smoke marijuana.
| Queens’ Vernacular 210: to smoke marijuana [...] get some smoke. |
rhetorical excl. calling for the hearer to be impressed by the speaker’s progress (lit. or fig.).
| Mr. Jackson 256: Now let Newport watch our smoke. | |
| Arrowsmith 104: You watch my smoke! | |
| Devil’s Diplomats 256: ‘This is where we start work, Mac,’ I said. [...] ‘The Major said we were to get busy as soon as we were clear of the town.’ ‘O.K.,’ grinned McCann. ‘Watch my smoke!’ . | |
| ‘Calling of Names’ in Cool Drink of Water 43: He went to being called a Colored man / after answering to ‘hey, nigger,’ / [...] / Hey, Baby, Watch my smoke. |
Pertaining to alcohol
In compounds
(US) an alcoholic who drinks rotgut alcohol.
| Jr. ‘Sticktown Nocturne’ in Baltimore Sun (MD) 12 Aug. A-1/1: Milkhounds, or smokehounds, drink denatured alcohol with water, a beverage [that is] poison to everybody but smokehounds . | |
| Homicide (1993) 249: The man was a smokehound all right. | |
| Corner (1998) 158: Good laws, reasoned attempts to prevent rummies and smokehounds from cluttering the streets. [Ibid.] 159: The paper bag allowed the smokehounds to keep their smoke. | |
| ‘All Due Respect’ Wire ser. 3 ep. 2 [TV script] Some nameless smokehound who comes out of the cut-rate one day. | |
| ‘React Quotes’ Wire ser. 5 ep. 5 [TV script] We need to be watching [...] the smokehounds. |
(US) a bar that specializes in selling cheap, second-rate liquor.
| Dly News (NY) 20 Oct. 4/5: A veteran Bowery bum well known in smoke joints on misery row [...] was found dead from alcoholism. | |
| et al. DAUL 199/2: Smoke-joint. An unlicensed dive that sells smoke. |
Pertaining to deception
In phrases
(US) to pass on information, genuine or otherwise.
| Eddie’s World 3: A guy blows smoke in your ear, you don’t know whether it might turn into something. | |
| Charlie Opera 233: Let’s not blow smoke at each other. |
1960s US to talk nonsense, to say nothing of worth.
| Moonshine War 107: ‘Frank, if you want to buy it, give me the money [...] Otherwise you’re just blowing smoke out your ears’. |
to confuse, to tell lies to.
| (con. 1950) Band of Brothers 49: ‘You trying to snow me?’ Andy asked. ‘No, sir! Hope to die. You never knowed me to blow smoke up nobody.’. | |
| Tiger in the Honeysuckle 244: I knew you didn’t call me in here to blow smoke up my ass. | |
| in Law Unto Themselves 197: The first time [...] someone tol’ me that you were a real educated man I thought he was blowin’ smoke up my ass. | |
| About Three Bricks Shy of a Load 61: ‘I’m not blowing smoke. Everybody on this team is convinced we’ll win the Super Bowl’. | |
| City Primeval 85: ‘Shit, he ain’t got any witnesses. He’s blowing smoke at us’. | |
| Rat on Fire (1982) 7: Anybody who tells you different’s just blowing smoke up your ass. | |
| Sl. U. 40: I was late because I had a flat tire, but my dad thought I was just blowing smoke up his ass. | |
| Firing Offense 202: ‘You’re going to believe I’m blowing smoke up your ass, but frankly, Nick, you did me a favor last night’. | |
| Night Gardener 117: Who blew smoke up his ass and told him he was [Bob] Dylan? | |
| Whiplash River [ebook] ‘You think that’s what I’m doing, Shake? Blowing hot air up your ass?’. | |
| Hard Bounce [ebook] I didn’t want to blow a load of smoke up the kid’s ass. | |
| The Force [ebook] Malone is pissed. Either Teddy is blowing smoke or someone in Manhattan North is on Carter’s pad. | |
| May God Forgive 43: The pubs were full of angry folk blowing smoke up each other’s arses. |
(Aus.) in hiding or into hiding.
| Sun. Times (Perth) 13 Jan. 1/1: A wanted embezzler isn’t far away from Berth [...] he is ‘in smoke’ at a well known chateau d'amour. | |
| Woman Tamer in Ballades of Old Bohemia (1980) 69: Yes Mr. Jones, I ain’t in smoke. You’ll see me at four o’clock any morning, down at the market, buying me rabbits. | |
| ‘Crusaders’ in Chisholm (1951) 80: ‘Jist now,’ sez Brannigan. ‘Spike Wegg’s in smoke. / Oh, jist concems a cove ’e tried to croak.’. | |
| Foveaux 311: I ain’t seen you about either [...] Been in smoke? | |
| Cold Stone Jug (1981) II 22: Like as not the johns is already laying for me there. Looks like I’ll have to go in smoke. | |
| Sun. Mail (Adelaide) 25 Sept. 45/2: I planted the rod and ‘went into smoke.’ [...] After a few days I came out of smoke. | |
| I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 234/2: in smoke – in hiding from the law. | |
| Nobody Stops Me 45: They know who done it. A bit of dirt called Snow Rider. He went into smoke. | |
| Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 105/1: smoke, phr. go into smoke go into hiding, disappear go into hiding, disappear. | |
| Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 112: in smoke In hiding, concealed. ANZ early C20. |
to accept conventional untruths, to tell white lies.
| Little Dorrit (1967) 276: To help myself in my turn, as the man before me helps himself in his, and pass the bottle of smoke. To keep up the pretence as to labor, and study. |
(US) fantastic, implausible.
| Barkeep Stories 7: ‘You stand round an’ look wise an’ tell ’bout how you come near ownin’ dat black filly dat just win [...] an’ a few more smoke-up stories’. |
SE in slang uses
In compounds
see cheaters n.2 (1)
1. (also smoke-chewer) a firefighter.
| Fireman’s Journal 25 Oct. 337/1: In the afternoon a game of baseball was played by a nine from the Easton Fire Department and the New York Fire Department nine [...] The game resulted in victory for the New York ‘smoke chewers’ by a score of twenty to five. | |
| Amer. Lang. (4th edn) 563: Making an attribute do duty for the whole gives him stiff for corpse, flat-foot for policeman, smoke-eater for fireman. | |
| Honest Cop 25: [H]e wanted to be a ‘smoke-eater.’ [...] He was going to be a fireman. | |
| Argot: Dict. of Und. Sl. |
2. a heavy smoker.
| Appleton Post-Crescent (WI) 12 May 11/1: Flapper Dictionary smoke-eater – A Flapper with a strong appetite for cigarets. |
the mouth.
| Amusements Serious and Comical in Works (1744) III 138: Stop your smoak-hole, nincompoop. |
see separate entry.
(US) a handgun.
| ‘Secret Guns’ in Thrilling Western May 🌐 Holster, yore smoke iron. I’ll do the same and we’ll shoot it out even. |
see separate entries.
(US black) underarm deodorant.
| N.Y. Amsterdam News 18 Dept. 22: You lay down some action with the smoke-screen under your brace of hookers. |
see separate entries.
1. (US) a cigar.
| N.Y. Tribune 15 Sept. 11/1: ‘Make yourself to home, gents, while I dig up a box of smoke sticks’ [...] I comes back with the cigars. |
2. a firearm.
| Flynn’s Weekly 22 Jan. 376/2: I ups and prods him and says, ‘Hand it over, er this smokestick’ll do the talking.’. | |
| Mail (Adelaide) 22 June 23/1: A rifle is a ‘smoke-stick’. |
a break for smoking.
| Owning Up (1974) 122: The front line were having a quick smoke-up in the wings. |
1. (US Und.) a revolver, a pistol.
| Wash. Times (DC) 14 Sept. 10/4: Reds, gats, or smoke wagon — A revolver. | |
| Prison Gates Ajar 10: Every man was looking for the others with their ‘smoke wagons’ (guns). | |
| My Life in Prison 2: The thug who waylays you [...] and takes your money by persuasion of an ugly .44 caliber ‘smoke-wagon’. | |
| Wash. Post 11 Nov. Miscellany 3/6: In the West the yegg calls his revolver, if it is not automatic, a ‘smoke wagon.’. | |
| You Can’t Win (2000) 113: I’ll have her buy me a pair of ‘smoke wagons.’ [...] If I have a couple of guns I won’t be helpless. | |
| Man’s Grim Justice 131: ‘Brooklyn Shine’ and his gang had dozens of notches on their smoke wagons. | |
| Milk and Honey Route 214: Smoke wagon or gat – Same as rod, a gun. | |
| Cowboy Lingo 166: The cowboy’s names for his gun were legion [...] ‘smoke-wagon’. | |
| Criminal Sl. (rev. edn). | |
| et al. DAUL 199/2: Smoke-wagon. Any heavy calibre— usually .45-calibre—non-automatic revolver. | |
| World’s Toughest Prison 819: smoke wagon – A pistol or revolver. | |
| Quest of the Mountain Man 95: If you’re planning on drawing that smoke wagon, I suggest you get to work. |
2. (US) an automobile, esp. a taxicab.
| Go To It 39: I will be a chauffeur on a smoke-wagon. | |
| You Should Worry cap. 5: Children are hardly out of the cradle before they are arrested for butting into the speed limit with a smoke wagon. | |
| N.Y. Herald Trib. 27 June 24: He was the man who started the taxicab industry in New York City. [...] He operated the first fleet of what street-corner loafers jeeringly called ‘smoke-wagons’ – 65 of them to start, 700 within a year. |
In phrases
(Aus.) very energetically; very quickly; exceedingly.
| Mrs. Cuddle’s Bed-Room Lectures (10–15) 6: Under his ribs her fist she’d poke, / And jam away like fun and smoke. | |
![[Can]](/static/img/flags/can.png "Canada") | Journal (1931) 28 Nov. 89: Snows 4 inches in the night. Sleds go like smoke. | |
| Bushrangers 114: If I knew of a set of d—d rascals loafing round here, I should tell you about it like smoke. | |
| Riverina Recorder (Moulamein, NSW) 23 jan. 2/5: Mac’s English draught beer is excellent [...] the first hogshead went off like smoke. | |
| ‘A Disqualified Jockey’s Story’ in Rio Grande’s Last Race (1904) 76: Smithy opened out / And let her up beside him on the rails, / And kept her there a-beltin’ her like smoke. | |
| They Call Me Carpenter 57: It costs like smoke. |