Dust - Dictionary Definition and Overview

Dust :  (noun)
1: fine powdery material such as dry earth or pollen that can be blown about in the air; "the furniture was covered with dust"
2: the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up [syn: debris, junk, rubble, detritus]
3: free microscopic particles of solid material; "astronomers say that the empty space between planets actually contains measurable amounts of dust" (verb)
1: remove the dust from; "dust the cabinets"
2: rub the dust over a surface so as to blur the outlines of a shape; "The artist dusted the charcoal drawing down to a faint image"
3: cover with a light dusting of a substance; "dust the bread with flour"
4: distribute loosely; "He scattered gun powder under the wagon" [syn: scatter, sprinkle, dot, disperse]

Based on WordNet 2.0

Dust : \Dust\, n. [AS. dust; cf. LG. dust, D. duist meal dust, OD. doest, donst, and G. dunst vapor, OHG. tunist, dunist, a blowing, wind, Icel. dust dust, Dan. dyst mill dust; perh. akin to L. fumus smoke, E. fume. ?.] 1. Fine, dry particles of earth or other matter, so comminuted that they may be raised and wafted by the wind; that which is crumbled too minute portions; fine powder; as, clouds of dust; bone dust.

Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. --Gen. iii. 19.

Stop! -- for thy tread is on an empire's dust. --Byron.

2. A single particle of earth or other matter. [R.] ``To touch a dust of England's ground.'' --Shak.

3. The earth, as the resting place of the dead.

For now shall sleep in the dust. --Job vii. 21.

4. The earthy remains of bodies once alive; the remains of the human body.

And you may carve a shrine about my dust. --Tennyson.

5. Figuratively, a worthless thing.

And by the merit of vile gold, dross, dust. --Shak.

6. Figuratively, a low or mean condition.

[God] raiseth up the poor out of the dust. --1 Sam. ii. 8.

7. Gold dust; hence: (Slang) Coined money; cash.

Down with the dust, deposit the cash; pay down the money. [Slang] ``My lord, quoth the king, presently deposit your hundred pounds in gold, or else no going hence all the days of your life. . . . The Abbot down with his dust, and glad he escaped so, returned to Reading.'' --Fuller.

Dust_brand_(Bot.),_a_fungous_plant_({Ustilago_Carbo">Dust brand (Bot.), a fungous plant ({Ustilago Carbo); --
called also smut.

Gold dust, fine particles of gold, such as are obtained in placer mining; -- often used as money, being transferred by weight.

In dust and ashes. See under Ashes.

To bite the dust. See under Bite, v. t.

To

raise, or kick up, dust, to make a commotion. [Colloq.]

To throw dust in one's eyes, to mislead; to deceive. [Colloq.]

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Dust : \Dust\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dusted; p. pr. & vb. n. Dusting.] 1. To free from dust; to brush, wipe, or sweep away dust from; as, to dust a table or a floor.

2. To sprinkle with dust.

3. To reduce to a fine powder; to levigate. --Sprat.

To dyst one's jacket, to give one a flogging. [Slang.]

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Dust :  Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern travellers. They are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a rain of "powder and dust" (Deut. 28:24).

To cast dust on the head was a sign of mourning (Josh. 7:6); and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction (Isa. 47:1). "Dust" is used to denote the grave (Job 7:21). "To shake off the dust from one's feet" against another is to renounce all future intercourse with him (Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51). To "lick the dust" is a sign of abject submission (Ps. 72:9); and to throw dust at one is a sign of abhorrence (2 Sam. 16:13; comp. Acts 22:23).



Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Example Usage of Dust

technick: @BumbleBunny I've always wanted a Nikon FM3A body... I just don't use film anymore, my F100 is collecting Dust on the shelf =\.
joshbrn: @daniellefoulds you know what they should do? because this is a Dust ball of a planet, they should, if they wish to remain monitary,
WillWorley: #factsaboutme I was all-state 3x in track in HS. I only ran cuz my football coach made us, and cuz I wanted to Dust Whitney Young
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