How to pronounce "smoke"

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There's a prevailing attitude

that art doesn't matter in the real world.

But the study of art can enhance our perception

and our ability to translate to others what we see.

Those skills are useful.

Those skills can save lives.

Doctors, nurses, and law enforcement agents

can use painting, sculpture, and photography

as tools to improve their visual acuity

and communication skills,

which are critical

during investigations and emergencies.

If you're treating an injury,

investigating a crime scene,

or trying to describe either of those things

to a colleague,

art can make you better at it.

Here, imagine you're a seasoned cop

or a dedicated doctor,

but also imagine you are at a museum

and let's look at a painting.

Rene Magritte's "Time Transfixed" of 1938

depicts a mysterious and complex interior

that invites analysis

not unlike that required of a patient's symptoms

or the scene of a crime.

A miniature train whose origin

and destination are unknown

is emerging from a fireplace,

and the smoke from the locomotive

appears to flow up the chimney

as if from the fire

that is conspicuously absent below.

The eeriness of the scene

is echoed in the empty living room,

enhanced by wood-grain floors

and decorative wall moldings

to the right of the fireplace.

Perched atop the mantelpiece

are two candlesticks and a clock.

Behind these objects is a large mirror

that reveals an empty interior

and only a partial reflection

of the objects before it.

The juxtaposition of the objects

surrounding the moving train

raises numerous questions

for which there seem to be no apparent answers.

Did I summarize the painting accurately

or leave any details out?

It's no big deal

if you see something else in a painting,

but what if we're both seasoned cops?

I call you for back-up.

You show up only to realize

the two bank robbing ninjas I'd mentioned

were actually six bank robbing ninjas with lasers.

Close study of art can train viewers

to study thoroughly,

analyze the elements observed,

articulate them succinctly,

and formulate questions

to address the seeming inconsistencies.

Scrutinizing the details

of an unfamiliar scene,

in this case the work of art,

and accurately conveying

any observable contradictions

is a critically important skill

for both people who look at x-rays

and those who interrogate suspects.

Let's interrogate this painting, shall we?

Okay, Magritte, that's quite a little picture you've painted.

But why aren't there any train tracks?

Why no fire?

What happened to the candles?

Why doesn't the fireplace

have a little tunnel for the train?

It just comes straight through the wall.

And the clock says

it's about quarter to one,

but I'm not sure the light

that comes through the window at an angle

says it's just past noontime.

What's this painting all about, anyway?

That's when you, my trusty partner,

hold me back,

then I leave.

You give Magritte a cup of coffee

and keep grilling him

to see if this painting would hold up in court.

Viewers can provide a more detailed

and accurate description of a situation

by articulating what is seen

and what is not seen.

This is particularly important in medicine.

If an illness is evidenced by three symptoms

and only two are present in a patient,

a medical professional must explicitly state

the absence of that third symptom,

signifying that the patient

may not have the condition suspected.

Articulating the absence of a specific detail or behavior

known as the pertinent negative

is as critical as stating

the details and behaviors that are present

in order to treat the patient.

And conspicuous absences are only conspicuous

to eyes trained to look for them.

Art teaches professionals

across a wide spectrum of fields

not only how to ask more effective questions

about what cannot be readily answered,

but also, and more importantly,

how to analyze complex, real world situations

from a new and different perspective,

ultimately solving difficult problems.

Intense attention to detail,

the ability to take a step back

and look differently,

we want first responders to have the analytical skills

of master art historians at least.

Art trains us to investigate,

and that's a real world skill if there ever was one.

Phonetic Breakdown of "smoke"

Learn how to break down "smoke" into its phonetic components. Understanding syllables and phonetics helps with pronunciation, spelling, and language learning.

Standard Phonetic Pronunciation:

/sməʊk/

/smoʊk/

Phonetic representation based on standard dictionaries

IPA Phonetic Pronunciation:

S M OW1 K

Standard phonetic transcription to help with precise pronunciation

Pronunciation Tips:

Stress the first syllable
Pay attention to vowel sounds
Practice each syllable separately

Spelling Benefits:

Easier to remember spelling
Helps with word recognition
Improves reading fluency

Definition of "smoke"

Pronunciation: /sməʊk/

Noun

The visible vapor/vapour, gases, and fine particles given off by burning or smoldering material.
A cigarette.

Example: "Can I bum a smoke off you?; I need to go buy some smokes."
Anything to smoke (e.g. cigarettes, marijuana, etc.)

Example: "Hey, you got some smoke?"
(never plural) An instance of smoking a cigarette, cigar, etc.; the duration of this act.

Example: "I'm going out for a smoke."
A fleeting illusion; something insubstantial, evanescent, unreal, transitory, or without result.

Example: "The excitement behind the new candidate proved to be smoke."
Something used to obscure or conceal; an obscuring condition; see also smoke and mirrors.

Example: "The smoke of controversy."
A light grey colour/color tinted with blue.
A particulate of solid or liquid particles dispersed into the air on the battlefield to degrade enemy ground or for aerial observation. Smoke has many uses--screening smoke, signaling smoke, smoke curtain, smoke haze, and smoke deception. Thus it is an artificial aerosol.
A fastball.

Adjective

Of the colour known as smoke.
Made of or with smoke.

Pronunciation: /sməʊk/

Verb

To inhale and exhale the smoke from a burning cigarette, cigar, pipe, etc.

Example: "He's smoking his pipe."
To inhale and exhale tobacco smoke.

Example: "Do you smoke?"
To give off smoke.

Example: "My old truck was still smoking even after the repairs."
To preserve or prepare (food) for consumption by treating with smoke.

Example: "You'll need to smoke the meat for several hours."
To dry or medicate by smoke.
To fill or scent with smoke; hence, to fill with incense; to perfume.
To make unclear or blurry.
(chiefly as present participle) To perform (e.g. music) energetically or skillfully.

Example: "The horn section was really smokin' on that last tune."
To beat someone at something.

Example: "We smoked them at rugby."
To kill, especially with a gun.

Example: "He got smoked by the mob."
To thrash; to beat.
To smell out; to hunt out; to find out; to detect.
To ridicule to the face; to mock.
To burn; to be kindled; to rage.
To raise a dust or smoke by rapid motion.
To suffer severely; to be punished.
To punish (a person) for a minor offense by excessive physical exercise.
To cover (a key blank) with soot or carbon to aid in seeing the marks made by impressioning.

Related Words to "smoke"

Discover words associated with "smoke" through various relationships - including meaning, context, usage, and more. Exploring word associations helps build a deeper understanding of language connections.

pot marijuana cannabis dope heater weed bullet grass

Words That Sound Like "smoke"

Practice these words that sound similar to "smoke" to improve your pronunciation precision and train your ear to distinguish subtle sound differences.

smack 1 syllable snake 1 syllable snack 1 syllable soak 1 syllable sneak 1 syllable smoker 2 syllables smog 1 syllable smokey 2 syllables

Similar Spelling to "smoke"

Explore words with similar spelling patterns to "smoke" to improve your spelling skills and expand your vocabulary with words that look alike but may have different meanings.

stoke spoke smoky