dusting

[ duhs-ting ]

/ ˈdʌs tɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR dusting ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a light application: a dusting of powder.

a beating; defeat: He gave his opponent a good dusting.

Origin of dusting

First recorded in 1615–25; dust + -ing¹

Words nearby dusting

dustcloth, duster, duster coat, dustheap, dustin, dusting, dusting powder, dusting-powder, dustman, dustoff, dustoor

Definition for dusting (2 of 2)

dust

[ duhst ]

/ dʌst /

noun

earth or other matter in fine, dry particles.

a cloud of finely powdered earth or other matter in the air.

any finely powdered substance, as sawdust.

the ground; the earth's surface.

the substance to which something, as the dead human body, is ultimately reduced by disintegration or decay; earthly remains.

British.

ashes, refuse, etc.
junk¹(def 1).

a low or humble condition.

anything worthless.

disturbance; turmoil.

gold dust.

the mortal body of a human being.

a single particle or grain.

Archaic. money; cash.

verb (used with object)

to wipe the dust from: to dust a table.

to sprinkle with a powder or dust: to dust rosebushes with an insecticide.

to strew or sprinkle (a powder, dust, or other fine particles): to dust insecticide on a rosebush.

to soil with dust; make dusty.

verb (used without object)

to wipe dust from furniture, woodwork, etc.

to become dusty.

to apply dust or powder to a plant, one's body, etc.: to dust with an insecticide in late spring.

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, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for dusting

The wounded warrior in front of me rode so well, and so fast, dusting me in the flats, that for a while I forgot he was a veteran.

At the Wounded Warrior 100K, How George W. Bush Really Rolls |Mark McKinnon |May 26, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
“We are dusting ourselves off and looking at how we can correct our mistakes,” said Collegio, of American Crossroads.

Is the Cult of Karl Rove Over? |David Freedlander |November 10, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
The equipment keeps changing, but people were using lasers and dusting powders that fluoresced when I started.

Patricia Cornwell Talks New Book, 'Red Mist,' Forensics, and Angelina Jolie |Janice Kaplan |December 13, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
Signs show you dusting off shelved entrepreneurial projects or weaving more commerce into the fabric of your daily life.

Horoscopes: May 8-14 |Starsky + Cox |May 7, 2011 |DAILY BEAST

Philip Lim, too, presented a more sober collection of muted palettes—but, as he often does—topped it off with a dusting of gold.

Fashion Week Day 7 |Isabel Wilkinson |February 17, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
He walks slowly, dusting the iron railing, then turns to give my door a few light strokes with the cat-o'-many-tails.

Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist |Alexander Berkman
This was done by dusting them, as it were, by quick transverse motions of his extended hands.

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 62, No. 382, October 1847 |Various
Never very robust, she still exercised what strength she had in a ceaseless round of sweeping and dusting.

The Brass Bound Box |Evelyn Raymond
Mild antiseptic and astringent lotions or dusting powders should also be advised.

Essentials of Diseases of the Skin |Henry Weightman Stelwagon
No, she was dusting under the bed, and could not have heard,—at least he thought not.

Paul the Courageous |Mabel Quiller-Couch

British Dictionary definitions for dusting

dust

/ (dʌst) /

noun

dry fine powdery material, such as particles of dirt, earth or pollen

a cloud of such fine particles

the powdery particles to which something is thought to be reduced by death, decay, or disintegration

the mortal body of man
the corpse of a dead person

the earth; ground

informal a disturbance; fuss (esp in the phrases kick up a dust, raise a dust)

something of little or no worth

informal (in mining parlance) silicosis or any similar respiratory disease

short for gold dust

ashes or household refuse

bite the dust

to fail completely or cease to exist
to fall down dead

dust and ashes something that is very disappointing

leave someone or something in the dust to outdo someone or something comprehensively or with ease leaving their competitors in the dust

shake the dust off one's feet to depart angrily or contemptuously

throw dust in the eyes of to confuse or mislead

verb

(tr) to sprinkle or cover (something) with (dust or some other powdery substance) to dust a cake with sugar; to dust sugar onto a cake

to remove dust by wiping, sweeping, or brushing

archaic to make or become dirty with dust

Derived forms of dust

dustless, adjective

Word 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 dusting

dust

In addition to the idiom beginning with dust

dust off

also see:

bite the dust
dry as dust
in the dust
make the dust fly
shake the dust from one's feet
throw dust in someone's eyes
watch my dust
when the dust has settled

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

dusting

noun

Origin of dusting

Words nearby dusting

Definition for dusting (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of dust

OTHER WORDS FROM dust

Example sentences from the Web for dusting

British Dictionary definitions for dusting

noun

verb

Derived forms of dust

Word Origin for dust

Idioms and Phrases with dusting

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

dusting

noun

Origin of dusting

Words nearby dusting

Definition for dusting (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of dust

OTHER WORDS FROM dust

Words related to dusting

Example sentences from the Web for dusting

British Dictionary definitions for dusting

noun

verb

Derived forms of dust

Word Origin for dust

Idioms and Phrases with dusting