Words / A2

SMOHK/sməʊk/

Smoke is the grey gas that comes from a fire: thick smoke, smoke from the kitchen, a cloud of smoke. It is uncountable: some smoke, a puff of smoke. Smoke is also a verb: smoke a cigarette. Steam is from hot water, usually white and cleaner-looking. Do not say “a smoke” for the gas from a fire — say some smoke (a smoke can mean a cigarette in informal speech).

Meaning

The grey gas that comes from a fire.

Examples

• “Smoke was coming from the kitchen.”
• “Smoke poured out of the window.”
• “I could smell smoke in the corridor.”

Good to know

thick smoke / a cloud of smoke. Uncountable. Verb: smoke a cigarette. Contrast: steam.

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