dust Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun fine powdery material such as dry earth or pollen that can be blown about in the air
    • the furniture was covered with dust
  2. noun the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up
    detritus; junk; debris; rubble.
  3. noun free microscopic particles of solid material
    • astronomers say that the empty space between planets actually contains measurable amounts of dust
  4. verb remove the dust from
    • dust the cabinets
  5. verb 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
  6. verb cover with a light dusting of a substance
    • dust the bread with flour
  7. verb distribute loosely
    sprinkle; scatter; dot; disperse.
    • He scattered gun powder under the wagon

WordNet

Dust noun
Etymology
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. .
Definitions
  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.
Dust transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Dusted; present participle & verbal noun Dusting
Definitions
  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.

Webster 1913