fog1

 
Pronunciation: /fɒg/

noun

  • 1 [mass noun] a thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth’s surface which obscures or restricts visibility (to a greater extent than mist; strictly, reducing visibility to below 1 km): the collision occurred in thick fog
  • [in singular] an opaque mass of particles in the air: a whirling fog of dust
  • Photography cloudiness which obscures the image on a developed negative or print.
  • 2 [in singular] a state or cause of perplexity or confusion: the coffee helped clear the fog in my brain

verb (fogs, fogging, fogged)

[with object]
  • 1(with reference to a glass surface) cover or become covered with steam: [with object]: hot steam drifted about her, fogging up the window [no object]: the windscreen was starting to fog up
  • Photography make (a film, negative, or print) obscure or cloudy.
  • 2bewilder or puzzle: she stared at him, confusion fogging her brain
  • make (an idea or situation) difficult to understand: the government has been fogging the issue
  • 3spray with an insecticide.

Phrases

the fog of war

confusion caused by the chaos of war or battle: he argues that the fog of war clouded everyone’s judgement

Origin:

mid 16th century: perhaps a back-formation from foggy