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Origin and history of smoke

smoke(n.1)

late Old English smoca, smocca (rare) "visible fumes and volatile material given off by burning or smoldering substances," related to smeocan "give off smoke," from Proto-Germanic *smuk- (source also of Middle Dutch smooc, Dutch smook, Middle High German smouch, German Schmauch), from PIE root *smeug- "to smoke; smoke" (source also of Armenian mux "smoke," Greek smykhein "to burn with smoldering flame," Old Irish much, Welsh mwg "smoke").

The more usual noun was Old English smec, which became dialectal smeech. From late 14c. as "a puff, cloud, or column of smoke." Figurative use, of something unsubstantial," is by 1540s; in reference to an obscuring medium, 1560s.

There is no fyre without some smoke [Heywood, 1562]

In other forms the proverb dates to mid-15c.

Abusive meaning "Black person" is attested from 1913, American English. Smoke-eater "firefighter" is by c. 1930. Figurative phrase go up in smoke "be destroyed" (as if by fire) is from 1933 (an earlier figurative image was come to smoke, "come to nothing," c. 1600, with a different image in mind). Smoke-alarm "device giving warning of smoke" is by 1936; smoke-detector from 1957. The figurative smoke-filled room, in U.S. politics the imagined site of private deals that secure party nominations, was popularized in the 1920 presidential election, in the days of open conventions and chain-smoking.

smoke(v.)

Middle English smoken, from Old English smocian, in late Old English smokian, "produce smoke, emit smoke," especially as a result of burning, intransitive, from smoke (n.1). Compare Dutch, Middle Low German smoken; for German rauchen, see reek (v.).

The transitive meaning "drive out or away or into the open by means of smoke" is attested from 1590s. Of chimneys, etc., "admit smoke outward instead of drawing it upward," 1660s. The meaning "to apply smoke to, to cure (bacon, fish, etc.) by exposure to smoke" is attested from 1590s. In old slang, "to sneer at, mock" (c. 1700).

In reference to tobacco, "draw fumes from burning into the mouth and puff them out again," it is first recorded 1604 in James I's "Counterblast to Tobacco." Related: Smoked; smoking.

smoke(n.2)

"cigarette," slang, 1882, from smoke (n.1). Also "opium" (1884). The meaning "a spell of smoking tobacco" is recorded from 1835.

also from 1882

Entries linking to smoke

reek(v.)

Middle English reken "to emit smoke," of smoke or stench, "to rise," from Old English recan (Anglian), reocan (West Saxon) "emit smoke," from Proto-Germanic *reukan (source also of Old Frisian reka "smoke," Middle Dutch roken, Dutch rieken "to smoke," Old High German riohhan "to smoke, steam," German rauchen "to smoke," riechen "to smell"); from the same source as the nouns (see reek (n.)).

Originally a strong verb, with past tense reac, past participle gereocen, but occasionally showing weak conjugation in Old English. Meaning "to emit a bad smell" is recorded from 1710 via sense "be heated and perspiring" (early 15c.). Related: Reeked; reeking.

smoking(n.)

late 14c., smokyng, "emission of fumes or smoke," verbal noun from smoke (v.). By 1690s as "act of puffing a lighted cigar, pipe, etc." Also a past-participle adjective. The railway smoking car is attested from 1844. Smoking jacket, one worn while smoking, is by 1849. Smoking gun in the figurative sense of "incontestable evidence" is attested by 1974.