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What is the difference between fume and vapor?

fume | vapor |

As nouns the difference between fume and vapor

is that fume is a gas or vapour/vapor that smells strongly or is dangerous to inhale. Fumes are solid particles formed by condensation from the gaseous state, e.g. metal oxides from volatilized metals. They can flocculate and coalesce. Their particle size is between 0.1 and 1 micron. (A micron is one millionth of a metre while vapor is cloudy diffused matter such as mist, steam or fumes suspended in the air.

As verbs the difference between fume and vapor

is that fume is to emit fumes while vapor is to become vapor; to be emitted or circulated as vapor.

fume

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A gas or vapour/vapor that smells strongly or is dangerous to inhale. Fumes are solid particles formed by condensation from the gaseous state, e.g. metal oxides from volatilized metals. They can flocculate and coalesce. Their particle size is between 0.1 and 1 micron. (A micron is one millionth of a metre)
    • Don't stand around in there breathing the fumes while the adhesive cures.
  • * T. Warton
    • the fumes of new shorn hay
  • A material that has been vaporized from the solid state to the gas state and re-coalesced to the solid state.
  • Rage or excitement which deprives the mind of self-control.
    • the fumes of passion
    (South)
  • Anything unsubstantial or airy; idle conceit; vain imagination.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • a show of fumes and fancies
  • The incense of praise; inordinate flattery.
  • * Burton
    • to smother him with fumes and eulogies

    Verb

    (fum)
  • To emit fumes.
  • * Milton
    • where the golden altar fumed
  • * Roscommon
    • Silenus lay, / Whose constant cups lay fuming to his brain.
  • To expose something (especially wood) to ammonia fumes in order to produce dark tints.
  • To feel or express great anger.
    • He's still fuming about the argument they had yesterday.
  • * Dryden
    • He frets, he fumes , he stares, he stamps the ground.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
    • Her mother did fret, and her father did fume .
  • To be as in a mist; to be dulled and stupefied.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Keep his brain fuming .
  • To pass off in fumes or vapours.
  • * Cheyne
    • Their parts are kept from fuming away by their fixity.

    Usage notes

    * In the sense of strong-smelling or dangerous vapor, the noun is typically plural, as in the example. ----

    vapor

    English

    Alternative forms

    * vapour (Commonwealth English)

    Noun

    (wikipedia vapor) (en noun)
  • Cloudy diffused matter such as mist, steam or fumes suspended in the air.
  • The gaseous state of a substance that is normally a solid or liquid.
  • *{{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Philip J. Bushnell
    • , title= Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes & Tolerance , passage=Surprisingly, this analysis revealed that acute exposure to solvent vapors at concentrations below those associated with long-term effects appears to increase the risk of a fatal automobile accident. Furthermore, this increase in risk is comparable to the risk of death from leukemia after long-term exposure to benzene, another solvent, which has the well-known property of causing this type of cancer.}}

    Derived terms

    * vaporescence * vaporescent * vapor pressure * vapour trail * water vapor

    See also

    * dew point * get the vapors

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To become vapor; to be emitted or circulated as vapor.
  • To turn into vapor.
  • To use insubstantial language; to boast or bluster.
  • * 1888 , Rudyard Kipling, ‘The Bisara of Pooree’, Plain Tales from the Hills , Folio Society 2005, p. 172:
    • He vapoured , and fretted, and fumed, and trotted up and down, and tried to make himself pleasing in Miss Hollis's big, quiet, grey eyes, and failed.

    Anagrams

    * ----