WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Dust
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [AS. dust; cf. LG. dust, D. duist meal dust, OD. doest, donst, and G. dunst vapor, OHG. tunist, dunist, a blowing, wind, Icel. dust dust, Dan. dyst mill dust; perh. akin to L. fumus smoke, E. fume. .]
Definition : 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 too minute portions; fine powder; as, clouds of dust; bone dust. Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Gen. iii. 19. Stop! -- for thy tread is on an empire's dust. Byron.

2. A single particle of earth or other matter. [R.] "To touch a dust of England's ground." Shak.

3. The earth, as the resting place of the dead. For now shall sleep in the dust. Job vii. 21.

4. The earthy remains of bodies once alive; the remains of the human body. And you may carve a shrine about my dust. Tennyson.

5. Figuratively, a worthless thing. And by the merit of vile gold, dross, dust. Shak.

6. Figuratively, a low or mean condition. [God] raiseth up the poor out of the dust. 1 Sam. ii. 8.

7. Gold dust; hence: (Slang)

Defn: Coined money; cash. 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." Fuller. -- Dust brand (Bot.), 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, v. t. -- To raise, or kick up, dust, to make a commotion. [Colloq.] -- To throw dust in one's eyes, to mislead; to deceive. [Colloq.]
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : Dust
Part of Speech : v.
Definition : 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. To dyst one's jacket, to give one a flogging. [Slang.]

t. [imp. & p. p. Dusted; p. pr. & vb. n. Dusting.]
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913