blauer Dunst

German

Etymology

Literally: “blue dust”. From blau referring to delusion as in the sense “drunk” and in blaues Wunder (“something utterly unexpected”). The sense “cigarette smoke” thence, humorously after the greyish, bluish colour.

Noun

blauer Dunst m (strong, definite nominative der blaue Dunst, genitive (des) blauen Dunstes or (des) blauen Dunsts, no plural)

1. (idiomatic) idle talk, void promises
2. (idiomatic) cigarette smoke