powderlessadj.
/ˈpaʊdələs/, U.S. /ˈpaʊdərləs/ 1. Without powder; not powdered.
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1859 Agitator (Wellsboro, Pa.) 18 Aug. 1/5 The barristers laughed while their wigs became bald, powderless.
1872 Times 19 Aug. 8/1 Vessels were ordered to go through the powderless pantomime of firing three rounds from each gun.
1887 Atlantic Monthly Sept. 323 His brown suit, his fur cap, his powderless hair..betrayed him [sc. Franklin in Paris] at once.
1928 J. Galsworthy Swan Song ii. xii, in Mod. Comedy (1929) 688 Flicking an almost powderless puff over her nose, she went out into the hall.
1992 C. Cookson My Beloved Son (BNC) 104 The simplicity suggested by her powderless face and loose lying hair.
2. Etching. Not employing powder.
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society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > printmaking > engraving > intaglio printing > [adjective] > etched > type of, etching
powderless1953
1953 Photoengravers Bull. 43 171 The key to powderless etching in the Dow etching development lies in the chemical composition of the bath.
1959 Times 14 Jan. 12/4 Another precision etching system, the Lithotex powderless etcher, is being manufactured in Britain.
1978 Penrose Ann. 71 162 Powderless etching is still rare [in India] and electronic engraving extremely so.
1999 Ink World (Nexis) 1 Sept. 14 His work within the industry includes research into photography and powderless etching of copper plates.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1859