Fume
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In order to understand the concept of a "fume", one must first examine the origins of the word and its usage in the vernacular.
Fume is a versatile word. As a noun, fume can mean several things. The most common usage refers to a vapor or a gas, such as "noxious fumes". However, there is another usage of the word that has gained popularity as of late. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, fume as a noun can also mean "A state of resentment or vexation". Therefore, if someone were in a particularly perturbed state, they could be said to be "in a fume".
The other form of the word that is worth discussing is the present tense of the verb, "fuming". Normally, if a car is "fuming", it is emitting some type of vapor in a visible manner. The word is often used to describe not literal "fumes", but metaphorical ones. These type of "fumes" are a manifestation of the noun form meaning "resentment or vexation", "fuming" being the expression of that resentment or vexation in a visible manner. If someone were to be visibly expressing the aforementioned vexation, such as by turning red or shouting, it would be an understandable correlation to the literal act of fuming.
In today's world, "fume" is a powerful meme that transcends to the deepest levels of western culture, appearing in newspapers, television, radio, and internet media. It conveys a profound message of frustration that simply cannot be matched by words of a similar meaning, and because of that, it will undoubtedly remain in common usage well into the next century.
References: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Ed. Boston:Houghton Mifflin, 2000.
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