# dusting

Pronunciation: US say "DUS-ting" /ˈdʌstɪŋ/; UK

## Verb

1. Present participle and gerund of dust. — present participle and gerund of dust
   - Simple: Present participle and gerund of dust. Use this form for the action happening now or as the name of the action.
   - _The caretaker was dusting the picture frames in the gallery._
   - _Dusting the high windows required a ladder and a long cloth._

## Noun

2. The act of removing dust from furniture and other surfaces, as a household chore.
   - Simple: The job of wiping dust off furniture and other surfaces at home.
   - _A quick dusting of the living room left every surface gleaming._
   - _She added dusting to the weekend list before the relatives visited._
3. A light covering of something, such as a thin layer of powder or fine particles.
   - Simple: A thin layer of powder or fine bits spread lightly over something.
   - _A faint dusting of flour still clung to the baker's apron._
   - _The old workshop wore a dusting of sawdust across every bench._
4. A light snowfall that leaves only a thin layer on the ground.
   - Simple: A small amount of snow that falls and barely covers the ground.
   - _Overnight a dusting whitened the rooftops without closing any roads._
   - _The hikers set out under a fresh dusting that crunched underfoot._
5. A physical beating given to someone. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A beating that one person gives to another.
   - _The loan shark's men handed the gambler a dusting in the alley._
   - _After that dusting, he kept well clear of the rival crew._
6. A comfort behavior in which a bird works fine dirt through its feathers to keep them in condition; dustbathing.
   - Simple: A bird's habit of working fine dirt through its feathers to stay clean.
   - _After a thorough dusting, the sparrow shook the loose grit from its wings._
   - _The flock took turns dusting in the warm hollow by the fence._

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/dusting (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).