chimney
B1Neutral to Formal
Definition
Meaning
A vertical pipe or structure that carries smoke and gases away from a fireplace, furnace, or boiler to the outside air.
Any similar vertical or near-vertical vent or flue; can refer to a glass tube around a lamp flame; in geology, a narrow vertical fissure filled with volcanic or ore-bearing rock; in climbing, a vertical, body-width crack in a rock face.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes a structure for smoke ventilation. Its core meaning is concrete and physical. Extended meanings are technical or specialized. Rarely used metaphorically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is nearly identical. 'Chimney breast' (the projecting part of a wall containing a fireplace and chimney) is more common in UK terminology. 'Chimney sweep' is universal, but the occupation is more historically prominent in the UK.
Connotations
Both share connotations of home, hearth, industry, and (in older contexts) soot and pollution.
Frequency
Similar frequency, though potentially slightly higher in UK due to prevalence of older housing with fireplaces.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The chimney + V (leaks, smokes, collapsed)V (clean, repair, build) + the chimneysmoke + pours/comes + from/out of + the chimneyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “smoke like a chimney (to smoke cigarettes heavily)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in real estate ('property features an original fireplace and chimney') or construction/restoration services.
Academic
Used in history, architecture, and industrial archaeology contexts.
Everyday
Common when discussing houses, fireplaces, home maintenance, and Christmas (Santa Claus).
Technical
Specific in construction, heating engineering, and geology (volcanic chimney).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The rock climber managed to chimney his way up the narrow fissure.
- The flue needs to be properly chimneyed to draw correctly.
American English
- The spelunker had to chimney through the narrow passage.
- They chimneyed the new furnace to the old stack.
adjective
British English
- The chimney breast was original to the Victorian house.
- They installed a new chimney liner.
American English
- The chimney sweep gave us a chimney inspection report.
- The chimney cap prevented rain from getting in.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Smoke comes from the chimney.
- Our house has a red brick chimney.
- Santa Claus comes down the chimney.
- We need to call someone to clean the chimney before we light a fire.
- Birds sometimes build nests in unused chimneys.
- A column of grey smoke rose from the factory chimney.
- The old chimney stack was deemed unsafe and had to be partially rebuilt.
- The volcano acted as a massive chimney, spewing ash and gases into the atmosphere.
- The geologists discovered a narrow mineral chimney running through the rock.
- The climber executed a perfect chimney manoeuvre, bracing her back against one wall and her feet against the other.
- The architect specified a double-lined chimney to improve thermal efficiency and safety.
- Legislation was introduced to reduce emissions from industrial chimney stacks.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CHIMP named NEE (Chim-nee) sitting on top of a brick chimney, throwing bananas down the flue.
Conceptual Metaphor
PATHWAY FOR WASTE/HEAT (The chimney provides a vertical path for smoke to escape.)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'дым' (smoke). 'Chimney' = 'дымоход' или 'труба'.
- В русском 'труба' может означать и 'chimney', и музыкальную 'трубу' (trumpet), и водопроводную 'трубу' (pipe). В английском это разные слова.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'chimley' or 'chimny'.
- Incorrect preposition: 'Smoke went in the chimney' (should be 'up' or 'out of').
- Using 'chimney' to refer to exhaust pipes on modern cars (use 'exhaust pipe' or 'tailpipe').
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'chimney' LEAST likely be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it's rare and technical. In climbing, it means to climb a vertical crack by bracing against opposite walls. It can also be used in construction contexts.
The chimney is the overall structure (the brickwork, the pot). The flue is the inner passageway or pipe inside the chimney that the smoke actually travels through.
Historically, each fireplace or stove in the house had its own flue. These multiple flues would run up inside one large brick chimney stack and exit through separate pots on top.
No, this is a common learner mistake. For cars, use 'exhaust pipe' or 'tailpipe'. 'Chimney' is for buildings, locomotives (steam trains), or large ships.