dust
[ duhst ]
/ dʌst /
noun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
Idioms for dust
Origin of dust
before 900; Middle English; Old English
dūst; cognate with German
Dunst vapor
OTHER WORDS FROM dust
dust·less, adjective re·dust, verb (used with object) un·dust·ed, adjective well-dust·ed, adjectiveWords nearby dust
British Dictionary definitions for dust off
dust
/ (dʌst) /
noun
verb
Derived forms of dust
dustless, adjectiveWord Origin for dust
Old English
dūst; related to Danish
dyst flour dust, Middle Dutch
dūst dust, meal dust, Old High German
tunst storm
Idioms and Phrases with dust off (1 of 2)
dust off
Restore to use. For example, I've dusted off last year's menu for the party. This usage alludes to cleaning and thereby renewing some object. [Mid-1900s]
Pitch a baseball dangerously close to the batter's head, as in I'm sure he dusted him off on purpose. [Slang; 1920s]
Finish off, kill; also, easily defeat. For example, They vowed to dust off the old man, or We'll dust off this team in no time. [Slang; c. 1940]
Thrash, beat up, as in If he didn't hand over his wallet, they threatened to dust him off. [Slang; 1920s]
Idioms and Phrases with dust off (2 of 2)
dust