dust

UK: /ˈdʌst/ US: /dʌst/ ,(dust)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dust /dʌst/   n. [uncountable]

1. matter in fine, powdery, dry particles:
   a layer of dust on the books.
2. any finely powdered substance, such as sawdust:
   gold dust.

v. 

3. to wipe the dust from (furniture, etc.): [no object]
   On Fridays we dust and vacuum.
   [~ + object]
   We dusted the bookshelves.
4. to sprinkle (crops, etc.) with a powder or dust:
   [~ + object] to dust crops with insecticide.
5. to sprinkle (a powder or other fine particles):
   [~ + object] to dust insecticide on a rosebush.
6. Idioms dust off, to prepare to use again: [~ + off + object]
   I dusted off those old speeches and got them ready for a new tour.
   [~ + object + off]
   to dust a few old speeches off.

Idioms

7. Idioms bite the dust:
   • to die:
     He bit the dust in the last episode.
   • to suffer defeat:
     She bit the dust in the later primaries.
   • to become ruined or unusable:
     The old refrigerator has bitten the dust.
8. Idioms make the dust fly, to work with vigor.

dust•less, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dust  (dust), n. 

1. earth or other matter in fine, dry particles.
2. a cloud of finely powdered earth or other matter in the air.
3. any finely powdered substance, as sawdust.
4. the ground;
   the earth's surface.
5. the substance to which something, as the dead human body, is ultimately reduced by disintegration or decay;
   earthly remains.
6. British Terms
   • ashes, refuse, etc.
   • junk¹ (def. 1).
7. a low or humble condition.
8. anything worthless.
9. disturbance;
   turmoil.
10. See gold dust. 
11. the mortal body of a human being.
12. a single particle or grain.
13. [Archaic.] money;
    cash.
14. Idioms bite the dust:
    • to be killed, esp. in battle;
      die.
    • to suffer defeat;
      be unsuccessful;
      fail:
      Another manufacturer has bitten the dust.
15. Idioms leave one in the dust, to overtake and surpass a competitor or one who is less ambitious, qualified, etc.:
    Don't be so meek, they'll leave you in the dust.
16. Idioms lick the dust:
    • to be killed;
      die.
    • to humble oneself abjectly;
      grovel:
      He will resign rather than lick the dust.
17. Idioms make the dust fly, to execute with vigor or speed:
    We turned them loose on the work, and they made the dust fly.
18. Idioms shake the dust from one's feet, to depart in anger or disdain;
    leave decisively or in haste, esp. from an unpleasant situation:
    As the country moved toward totalitarianism, many of the intelligentsia shook the dust from their feet.
19. Idioms throw dust in someone's eyes, to mislead;
    deceive:
    He threw dust in our eyes by pretending to be a jeweler and then disappeared with the diamonds.

v.t. 

20. to wipe the dust from:
    to dust a table.
21. to sprinkle with a powder or dust:
    to dust rosebushes with an insecticide.
22. to strew or sprinkle (a powder, dust, or other fine particles):
    to dust insecticide on a rosebush.
23. to soil with dust;
    make dusty.

v.i. 

24. to wipe dust from furniture, woodwork, etc.
25. to become dusty.
26. to apply dust or powder to a plant, one's body, etc.:
    to dust with an insecticide in late spring.
27. dust off:
    • Sport [Baseball.] (of a pitcher) to throw the ball purposely at or dangerously close to (the batter).
    • to take out or prepare for use again, as after a period of inactivity or storage:
      I'm going to dust off my accounting skills and try to get a job in the finance department.
    • to beat up badly:
      The gang of hoodlums dusted off a cop.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English dūst; cognate with German Dunst vapor

dust′less, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dust / dʌst/ noun

1. dry fine powdery material, such as particles of dirt, earth or pollen
2. a cloud of such fine particles
3. the mortal body of humans
4. the corpse of a dead person
5. the earth; ground
6. a disturbance; fuss (esp in the phrases kick up a dust, raise a dust)
7. something of little or no worth
8. short for gold dust
9. ashes or household refuse
10. bite the dust ⇒ to fail completely or cease to exist
11. to fall down dead
12. dust and ashes ⇒ something that is very disappointing
13. shake the dust off one's feet ⇒ to depart angrily or contemptuously
14. throw dust in the eyes of ⇒ to confuse or mislead

verb

1. (transitive) to sprinkle or cover (something) with (dust or some other powdery substance)
2. to remove dust by wiping, sweeping, or brushing
3. to make or become dirty with dust

Etymology: Old English dūst; related to Danish dyst flour dust, Middle Dutch dūst dust, meal dust, Old High German tunst storm

ˈdustless adjective