dust

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Fine, dry powder made of tiny bits of dirt or other matter that settles on surfaces or floats in the air.

   The old furniture was covered with a thick layer of dust.

2. 2
   verb

   To clean dust off a surface.

   She dusted the shelves and the cabinets before the guests arrived.

3. 3
   verb

   To cover something lightly with a powdery substance.

   Dust the bread with a little flour before baking.

From Middle English dust, doust, from Old English dūst (“dust, dried earth reduced to powder; other dry material reduced to powder”), from the fusion of Proto-Germanic *dustą (“dust”) and *dunstą (“mist, dust, evaporation”), both from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“to smoke, raise dust”). Cognate with Scots dust, dist (“dust”), Dutch duist (“pollen, dust”) and dons (“down, fuzz”), German Dust (“dust”) and Dunst (“haze”), Swedish dust (“dust”), Icelandic dust (“dust”), Latin fūmus (“smoke, steam”). Also related to Swedish dun (“down, fluff”), Icelandic dúnn (“down, fluff”). See down.

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