smoke out (B2)
phrasal verb
Pronunciation: /smoʊk aʊt/
Definition
To force someone or something out of a place or situation by using a strong or unpleasant stimulus, such as smoke or pressure.
Examples
The firefighters used smoke bombs to smoke out the people hiding in the basement.
The detective tried to smoke out the witness by asking tough questions.
The new policy is designed to smoke out corruption in the government.
How to Use smoke out
- smoke out a problem (phrasal verb)
- to detect or reveal a problem — "The new software is designed to smoke out bugs in the system."
- smoke out a secret (phrasal verb)
- to discover or reveal a secret — "The journalist tried to smoke out the truth about the scandal."
Browse the full Anaversity dictionary