dust
Pluraldusts (some meanings)
Pluraldusts (some meanings)
- 1Tiny, dry bits of dirt or other stuff that float in the air or lie on surfaces.
Like the soft gray stuff that builds up under your bed over time.
A thick layer of dust covered the old bookshelf.
Sunlight showed tiny bits of dust floating in the air.
UsageSay a lot of dust or a layer of dust.
Similardirt
Note
- 2
- 3Any solid that has been ground down into a fine powder.
Like flour, which is wheat ground into tiny bits.
He ground the chalk into a fine dust.
The mill turned the dried beans into dust.
UsageOften rock dust or turn to dust.
Similarpowder
Note
- 4
- 5Tiny bits of matter floating in space between the stars.
Like tiny bits floating in a sunbeam, spread out across space.
Clouds of dust block the light from distant stars.
Space is not empty, since it holds gas and dust.
Note
- 6A light scattering of fine powder over something.
A light dust of snow covered the cars this morning.
She put a light dust of sugar on top of the warm cake.
UsageOften a dust of snow or sugar. A dusting of is more common.
Similarsprinkling, sprinkle, scattering
- 7The ground or earth, in poems and old writing, often where dead people lie buried.
Like the dry brown earth in a field when there has been no rain.
The old soldiers now rest in the dust of the hills they once defended.
The wounded soldier fell face down in the dust.
UsageUse earth or soil in everyday writing.
Note
- 8
Less common meanings
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12To beat someone very easily and completely in a game or fight.
Like winning a race while the other runner is still near the start.
Our team dusted the other side six to nothing.
If they keep playing like this, we will dust them with no trouble.
UsageIn formal writing, use beat easily.
- 13
- 14To make something dirty by covering it with dust.
UsageSay make dusty instead.
Note
- 15When a bird rolls in dry earth or sand to clean its feathers.
Like taking a bath, but using dry dirt instead of water.
The hens like to dust in the dry patch behind the barn.
Sparrows were dusting in the loose soil all afternoon.
Note
- 16
- 17In baseball, to throw a pitch close to the batter on purpose to push them back.
The pitcher dusted the batter with a fastball near his chin.
Pitchers who dust batters often start fights between the two teams.
Similarbuzz
Note
- 18A very low or poor position in life.
[God] raiseth up the poor out of the dust.
1611, The Holy Bible, King James Version - 19To leave a place very quickly.
He added in a casual tone: ‘The girl can dust. I’d like to talk to you a little, soldier.’
1939, Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep - 20Household waste and trash that is thrown away.
- 21Very small leftover amounts of cryptocurrency that remain after a transaction.
- 22To send tiny amounts of cryptocurrency to a wallet to try to find out who owns it.
- 23A set of tiny separate points spread out in a repeating, broken-up pattern.
- 24The white powder used to make bread.
- 25One very small bit of dirt or powder.
to touch a dust of England’s ground
1595, William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second” - 26Money.
‘And what do you ask for it?’ ‘Fifteen thousand dollars.’ ‘I’ll take it.’ ‘Then down with the dust.’
1852, George Colvocoresses, Four Years in a Government Exploring Expedition - 27To drink something very quickly.
- 28To crush something until it becomes powder.
Showing meanings only.
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Origin
From Old English "dūst," meaning fine dry powder. It goes back to very old Germanic and Indo-European roots meaning to smoke or raise dust.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts
- Dust derives from Old English dūst. kaikki.org
- Old English dūst meant fine dry powder. kaikki.org
- The word has Germanic and ultimately Indo-European ancestry associated with smoking or raising dust. en.wiktionary.org