dustnoun [ U ]
uk/dʌst/us/dʌst/B1 dry dirt in the form of powder that covers surfaces inside a building, or very small dry pieces of soil, sand, or other substances:
The furniture was covered in dust and cobwebs.
A cloud of dust rose in the air as the car roared past.
coal dust
More examples
- These china ornaments just collect dust.
- He hit the ground with his stick and a puff of dust rose up into the air.
- The truck went by in a swirl of dust.
- I blew the dust off the books.
- Erupting volcanoes discharge massive quantities of dust into the stratosphere.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Dirt & untidiness
- a dog's breakfast idiom
- bloodstain
- blot
- clutter
- contaminant
- contaminate
- fleck
- grime
- gunge
- gunk
- guttersnipe
- muck
- pollutant
- slovenly
- slut
- smear
- smudge
- speck
- speckle
- stain
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Idiom(s)
the dust settles
turn to dust
dustverb
uk/dʌst/us/dʌst/dust verb (CLEAN)
[ I or T ] to use a cloth to remove dust from the surface of something:
I was dusting the mantelpiece when I noticed a crack.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Cleaning & tidying places & things
- a lick and a promise idiom
- adjust
- airing
- bed
- brush
- char
- clean (sb/sth) up
- going-over
- Hoover
- housekeeping
- housework
- mop
- shampoo
- spit
- straighten sth out
- straighten sth up
- tidy sth away
- vac
- vacuum
- valet
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dust verb (COVER)
[ T ] to cover something with a light powder:
Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Covering and adding layers
- asphalt
- bestrew
- binder
- blanket
- blindfold
- carpet
- coat
- film
- film over
- fur
- gild
- gum sth up
- inlay
- lag
- pad
- proof
- resurface
- seal
- swathe
- whitewash
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Idiom(s)
be done and dusted
Phrasal verb(s)
dust sth off