Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- v. To subject to smoke or fumes, usually in order to exterminate pests or disinfect.
- v. To employ smoke or fumes in order to exterminate or disinfect.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- To apply smoke to; expose to the action of smoke.
- Specifically To expose to the action of fumes (as of sulphur), as in disinfecting apartments, clothing, etc.
- To perfume.
- To darken the color of (wood) in imitation of the effect of age and smoke. The process is also known as fuming.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- v. To apply smoke to; to expose to smoke or vapor; to purify, or free from infection, by the use of smoke or vapors.
- v. To smoke; to perfume.
WordNet 3.0
- v. treat with fumes, expose to fumes, especially with the aim of disinfecting or eradicating pests
Etymologies
- Latin fūmigāre, fūmigāt-, to smoke : fūmus, smoke + agere, to drive, make; see ag- in Indo-European roots.
Examples
“Pat Quinn is backing away from Speaker Michael Madigan's broad plan to "fumigate" the government's ranks with job cuts, bill would have purged as many as 3,000 state employees hired or appointed by disgraced former governors George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich.”
“The governor is promising to "fumigate" state government by reviewing Blagojevich agencies and appointees to make sure everyone's doing his job and following the law.”
“George Ryan to recommend ways to "fumigate" state government.”
“Pat Quinn vowed to "fumigate" state government of top officials hired by former Gov.”
“Still, most of the six - a seventh candidate, Andy McKenna, did not participate - rejected proposals to "fumigate" state government by firing most of the people hired by the past two governors.”
“Quinn named Adams to head the state's African trade office starting in January, despite the controversy over her use of drivers and his promise last spring to "fumigate" state government of former Gov.”
“Pat Quinn's pledge to "fumigate" Illinois government of top Blagojevich hires.”
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