- smoke (n.1)
- late O.E. smoca, related to smeocan "give off smoke," from P.Gmc. *smeukanan (cf. M.Du. smooc, Du. smook, M.H.G. smouch, Ger. Schmauch), from PIE base *smeug(h)- "to smoke" (cf. Arm. mux "smoke," Gk. smykhein "to burn with smoldering flame," O.Ir. much, Welsh mwg "smoke"). Smokestack is from 1862; smoke-eater "firefighter" is c.1930. Phrase go up in smoke "be destroyed" is from 1933. smoke alarm first attested 1936.
- smoke (v.)
- O.E. smocian "to produce smoke," see smoke (n.). Meaning "to drive out or away or into the open by means of smoke" is attested from 1593. Meaning "to cure (bacon, fish, etc.) by exposure to smoke" is first attested 1599. In connection with tobacco, the verb is first recorded 1604 in James I's "Counterblast to Tobacco." Smoking gun in figurative sense of "incontestable evidence" is from 1974.
- smoke (n.2)
- "cigarette," slang, 1882, from smoke (n.1). Also "opium" (1884). Meaning "a spell of smoking tobacco" is recorded from 1835.