To end in smoke

Smoke Smoke (sm[=o]k), n. [AS. smoca, fr. sme['o]can to smoke; akin to LG. & D. smook smoke, Dan. sm["o]g, G. schmauch, and perh. to Gr. ??? to burn in a smoldering fire; cf. Lith. smaugti to choke.] 1. The visible exhalation, vapor, or substance that escapes, or expelled, from a burning body, especially from burning vegetable matter, as wood, coal, peat, or the like. [1913 Webster]

Note: The gases of hydrocarbons, raised to a red heat or thereabouts, without a mixture of air enough to produce combustion, disengage their carbon in a fine powder, forming smoke. The disengaged carbon when deposited on solid bodies is soot. [1913 Webster]

2. That which resembles smoke; a vapor; a mist. [1913 Webster]

3. Anything unsubstantial, as idle talk. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4. The act of smoking, esp. of smoking tobacco; as, to have a smoke. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

Note: Smoke is sometimes joined with other word. forming self-explaining compounds; as, smoke-consuming, smoke-dried, smoke-stained, etc. [1913 Webster]

{Smoke arch}, the smoke box of a locomotive.

{Smoke ball} (Mil.), a ball or case containing a composition which, when it burns, sends forth thick smoke.

{Smoke black}, lampblack. [Obs.]

{Smoke board}, a board suspended before a fireplace to prevent the smoke from coming out into the room.

{Smoke box}, a chamber in a boiler, where the smoke, etc., from the furnace is collected before going out at the chimney.

{Smoke sail} (Naut.), a small sail in the lee of the galley stovepipe, to prevent the smoke from annoying people on deck.

{Smoke tree} (Bot.), a shrub ({Rhus Cotinus}) in which the flowers are mostly abortive and the panicles transformed into tangles of plumose pedicels looking like wreaths of smoke.

{To end in smoke}, to burned; hence, to be destroyed or ruined; figuratively, to come to nothing. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Fume; reek; vapor. [1913 Webster]