See Also: dust(1)(dictionary)
dust-up(dictionary)
Dust(medicine)
dust(2)(dictionary)
Dust Bowl(encyclopedia)
dust 1, noun(dictionary)
dust 2, verb(dictionary)
dust bowl(dictionary)
dust bunny(dictionary)
dust cart(dictionary)

dust(2) (iou)



dust verb. ME.
[from the noun Cf. Old Norse dusta.]
verb intrans. Be dusty. Only in ME.
verb trans. & intrans. (Cause to) crumble into dust. LME-L17.
verb trans. Make dusty. M16.
J. A. Froude We go out..and dust our feet along its thoroughfares.
verb trans. Free from dust; wipe, brush, or beat the dust from. M16.
dust a person's jacket colloq. thrash a person.
A. Paton He dusted his feet on the frayed mat outside Kumalo's door. N. Monsarrat The rooms were..cleaned, dusted, polished, and set to rights.
b. Brush, shake, or rub off as dust. L18.
S. Lewis He dusted the cigar-ash off his vest.
verb trans. Sprinkle with dust or powder; sprinkle powdered insecticide etc. on (a crop), esp. from the air. L16.
W. Cather Marie took out..rolls, and began to dust them over with powdered sugar.
b. Strew or sprinkle as dust or powder. L18.
B. Spock It should be dusted on your hand first..and then rubbed gently on his [the baby's] skin.
c. verb refl. & intrans. Of a bird: take a dust-bath. L18.
verb trans. Beat; strike. Now colloq. & dial. E17.
M. Twain So she..dusted us both with the hickry.
verb intrans. Ride or go quickly; hurry. slang (chiefly US). M17.
With adverbs in specialized senses: dust down wipe or brush the dust from. dust off (a) = dust down above; (b) US slang = sense 7 above; (c) US slang defeat, kill, get rid of.