Dust
Dust (dust) , noun
[Anglo-Saxon dust; compare LG. dust, Dutch duist meal dust, OD. doest, donst, and German dunst vapor, Old High German tunist, dunist, a blowing, wind, Icelandic dust dust, Danish dyst mill dust; perh. akin to Latin fumus smoke, English fume. r71.]
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 to minute portions; fine powder; as, clouds of dust; bone dust.
Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Stop! -- for thy tread is on an empire's dust.
2.
A single particle of earth or other matter. [Rare]
To touch a dust of England's ground.
3.
The earth, as the resting place of the dead.
For now shall sleep in the dust.
4.
The earthy remains of bodies once alive; the remains of the human body.
And you may carve a shrine about my dust.
5.
Figuratively, a worthless thing.
And by the merit of vile gold, dross, dust.
6.
Figuratively, a low or mean condition.
[God] raiseth up the poor out of the dust.
7.
Gold dust
Coined money; cash. [Slang]
Collocations (7)
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.
Dust brand (Botany) , 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, transitive verb
To kick up dust , to make a commotion. [Colloquial]
To throw dust in one's eyes , to mislead; to deceive. [Colloquial]
Dust (dust) , transitive verb
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
Collocations (1)
To dyst one's jacket , to give one a flogging. [Slang.]