smoke out

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

smoke out verb (tr, adverb)

1. to subject to smoke in order to drive out of hiding
2. to bring into the open; expose to the public: they smoked out the plot

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

smoke /smoʊk/   n., v., smoked, smok•ing. 
n. 

1. Chemistry [uncountable] the visible vapor and gases given off by a burning substance.
2. [uncountable] something resembling this, as mist.
3. [countable] an act or spell of smoking something, esp. tobacco.
4. something for smoking, as a cigarette:
   [countable] Have you got a smoke?
5. [uncountable] a bluish or brownish gray.

v. 

6. [no object] to give off smoke.
7. to draw into the mouth and puff out (the smoke of tobacco or the like, as from a pipe or cigarette): [no object]
   She doesn't like to smoke.
   [~ + object]
   He smoked a pack of cigarettes a day.
8. Slang Terms to (cause to) move or travel with great speed: [no object]
   That throw really smoked through the air!
   [~ + object]
   The quarterback smoked the next pass to his tight end.
9. to expose (rooms, etc.) to toxic vapor in order to kill insects or pests:
   [~ + object] to smoke a room.
10. Food to expose (meat, fish, etc.) to smoke and thus dry and flavor it:
    [~ + object] to smoke salmon in the smokehouse.
11. smoke out:
    • to drive from a place of hiding by the use of smoke: [~ + out + object]
      to smoke out the raccoons.
      [~ + object + out]
      to smoke the animals out.
    • to force into public knowledge;
      expose: [~ + out + object]
      to smoke out the traitors.
      [~ + object + out]
      to smoke the traitors out with a clever trick.

Idioms

12. Idioms go up in smoke, to be unsuccessful:
    All his plans for promotion went up in smoke.

smoke•less, adj.: 

so-called smokeless tobacco, or chewing tobacco.

smok•er, n. [countable]
smok•i•ness, n. [uncountable]
smok•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

smoke  (smōk), n., v., smoked, smok•ing. 
n. 

1. Chemistry the visible vapor and gases given off by a burning or smoldering substance, esp. the gray, brown, or blackish mixture of gases and suspended carbon particles resulting from the combustion of wood, peat, coal, or other organic matter.
2. something resembling this, as vapor or mist, flying particles, etc.
3. something unsubstantial, evanescent, or without result:
   Their hopes and dreams proved to be smoke.
4. an obscuring condition:
   the smoke of controversy.
5. an act or spell of smoking something, esp. tobacco:
   They had a smoke during the intermission.
6. something for smoking, as a cigar or cigarette:
   This is the best smoke on the market.
7. Drugs, Slang Terms [Slang.] marijuana.
8. Slang Terms a homemade drink consisting of denatured alcohol and water.
9. Physics a system of solid particles suspended in a gaseous medium.
10. a bluish or brownish gray color.
11. go up or end in smoke, to terminate without producing a result;
    be unsuccessful:
    All our dreams went up in smoke.

v.i. 

12. to give off or emit smoke, as in burning.
13. to give out smoke offensively or improperly, as a stove.
14. to send forth steam or vapor, dust, or the like.
15. to draw into the mouth and puff out the smoke of tobacco or the like, as from a pipe or cigarette.
16. Slang Terms to ride or travel with great speed.
17. British Terms [Australian.]
    • to flee.
    • to abscond.

v.t. 

18. to draw into the mouth and puff out the smoke of:
    to smoke tobacco.
19. to use (a pipe, cigarette, etc.) in this process.
20. to expose to smoke.
21. to fumigate (rooms, furniture, etc.).
22. Food to cure (meat, fish, etc.) by exposure to smoke.
23. to color or darken by smoke.
24. smoke out:
    • to drive from a refuge by means of smoke.
    • to force into public view or knowledge;
      reveal:
      to smoke out the leaders of the spy ring.

• bef. 1000; (noun, nominal) Middle English; Old English smoca; (verb, verbal) Middle English smoken, Old English smocian

smoke′like′, adj.