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dust definition

dust (dust)

noun

  1. powdery earth or other matter in bits fine enough to be easily suspended in air
  2. a cloud of such matter
  3. confusion; turmoil
    1. earth, esp. as the place of burial
    2. mortal remains disintegrated or thought of as disintegrating to earth or dust
  5. a humble or abject condition
  6. anything worthless
  7. Brit. ashes, rubbish, etc.
  8. pollen
  9. ☆ gold dust
  10. Archaic a particle

Etymology: ME < OE, akin to MLowG: for IE base see dun

transitive verb

  1. to sprinkle with dust or a fine powdery substance to dust crops with an insecticide
  2. to sprinkle (powder, etc.) on something
  3. to rid of dust, as by brushing, shaking, or wiping: often with off
  4. Archaic to make dusty

intransitive verb

  1. to remove dust, esp. from furniture, floors, etc.
  2. to bathe in dust: said of a bird
dust Idioms

bite the dust

Informal to die, esp. in battle

dust off

Informal to prepare to use

lick the dust

to be servile; grovel: cf. Mic. 7:17

make the dust fly

  1. to act energetically
  2. to move swiftly

shake the dust off one's feet

to leave with disdain or contempt: cf. Matt. 10:14

throw dust in someone's eyes

to mislead or deceive someone

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms dust idiom

dust Synonyms

dust

n.

dirt, lint, soil, sand, particles, flakes, granules, loess, ashes, cinders, grime, soot, grit, filings, sawdust; devil's snow*, house moss*, Mormon rain*; see also earth 2, filth, powder.

bite the dust<strong>*

be killed, fall in battle, succumb, go under; see die 1, fail 1.

lick the dust

be servile, grovel, placate; see grovel.

make the dust fly

move swiftly, work hard, be active or energetic; see act 1, hurry 1, move 1.


dust

v.

sprinkle, sift, powder; see scatter 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

dust Usage Examples

Preposition: off

  • cobwebs: That, along with having to dust off a few cobwebs, made it difficult to get myself up to speed quick enough.

Converse of object

  • gather: We came back with some great tapes which are probably gathering dust on a library shelf.

Adjective modifier

  • interstellar: PSSRI provides co-investigators for the Dust Detector, which has made the first in situ detections of interstellar dust entering the Solar System.

Modifies a noun

  • mite: Mattress Hygiene Spray - controls the dust mites in your bed!

Noun used with modifier

  • asbestos: Exposure to blue or brown asbestos dust can cause mesothelioma, a tumor of the pleura, which is the lining of the lung.
dust usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

dust quotes

Lytle hwile leof beoth grene thonne hie eft fealewiath, feallath on eorthan and forweorniath weorthiath to duste. For a little while the leaves are green. Then they turn yellow, fall to the ground, and perish, turning to dust.

-Anonymous

It was prettily devised of Aesop,'The fly sat upon the axletree of the chariot-wheel and said, what a dust do I raise.'

-Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

   I am inclined tothink that the fargreater part, if not all, of those difficulties which have hitherto amused philosophers, and blocked up the way to knowledge, are entirely owing to ourselvesöthat we have first raised a dust and then complain we cannot see.

-Berkeley, George

dust quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"dust." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/dust>

APA Style

dust. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/dust

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