Here’s another word that means one thing and the opposite: to dust means both to clean away the dust, and to cover with dust.

From the AHD

Fine, dry particles of matter.
A cloud of fine, dry particles.
Particles of matter regarded as the result of disintegration: fabric that had fallen to dust over the centuries.
Earth, especially when regarded as the substance of the grave: "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" (Book of Common Prayer).
The surface of the ground.
A debased or despised condition.
Something of no worth.
Chiefly British Rubbish readied for disposal.
Confusion; agitation; commotion: won’t go back in until the dust settles.
v. dust·ed, dust·ing, dusts
v. tr.
To remove dust from by wiping, brushing, or beating: dust the furniture.

To sprinkle with a powdery substance: dusted the cookies with sugar; dust crops with fertilizer.
To apply or strew in fine particles: dusted talcum powder on my feet.
Baseball To deliver a pitch so close to (the batter) as to make the batter back away.
v. intr.
To clean by removing dust.
To cover itself with such particulate matter. Used of a bird.

[Middle English, from Old English dst.]

But notice the different (?) etymology given by the Etymonline:

dust (n.) - O.E. dust, from P.Gmc. *dunstaz, from PIE *dheu- with a sense of "smoke, vapor" (cf. Skt. dhu- "shake," L. fumus "smoke"). The verb means both "to sprinkle with dust" (1592) and "to rid of dust" (1568). Sense of "to kill" is U.S. slang first recorded 1938. Dustbowl in reference to a drought-plagued region of the U.S. Midwest first recorded 1936. Dustup "fight" is from 1897; to dust (someone’s) coat was ironical for "to beat (someone) soundly" (1690).

Now, could anyone explain me what is ‘dust my broom’, like in Robert Johnson’s song:

Dust My Broom
by Robert Johnson

I’m gon’ get up in the mornin’
I believe I’ll dust my broom.
[repeat]
Girl friend, the black man you been lovin’
Girl friend, can get my room.

I’m gon’ write a letter
Telephone every town I know.
[repeat]
If I can’t find her in West Helena
She must be in East Monroe, I know.

I don’t want no woman
Wants every downtown man she meet
[repeat]
She’s a no good doney
They shouldn’t allow her on the street

I believe
I believe I’ll go back home
[repeat]
You can mistreat me here, babe
But you can’t when I go home.

I’m gonna get up in the mornin’
I believe I’ll dust my broom
[repeat]
Girl friend, the black man you been lovin’
Girl friend, can get my room.

I’m gonna call up Chiny
See if my good girl over there.
[repeat]
If I can’t find here on the Phillipine Islands
She must be in Ethiopia some where.

here

norio

Have I missed something?
Dear Buzz, what is this "html-code" wording?

norio ???

Help!

-norio