bite the dust

1. To fall down dead
2. (of plans, etc) to come to nothing

bite the hand that feeds one

To show ingratitude, often with the likely result of losing the help one is receiving

bite the thumb (obsolete)

To express defiance by knocking the thumb-nail against the teeth

bitten off

Abruptly cut short

once bitten, twice shy

A bad experience makes one cautious on a second occasion

put the bite on

To extort money from

soundbite see under sound¹

what's biting you, etc?

What is the matter with you, etc?, what is annoying you, etc?

dust /dust/

noun

1. Fine particles of solid matter, esp earth, powdery matter or dirt
2. A cloud of this
3. The earth
4. The grave
5. The dead human body, remains
6. A debased or shabby condition
7. (with the) pneumoconiosis (mining sl)
8. Gold dust, hence money
9. Turmoil (slang)
10. A disturbance, a brawl (informal)

transitive verb

1. To free from dust (also intransitive verb)
2. To trash, beat (informal)
3. To pass or leave in a trail of dust (US informal)
4. To sprinkle
5. To cover lightly with a powdered substance (also intransitive verb)

dustˈer noun

1. Someone or something that dusts
2. A cloth or brush for removing dust
3. A sprinkler
4. A dustcoat (US)

dustˈily adverb

dustˈiness noun

dustˈless adjective

dustˈy adjective

1. Covered or sprinkled with dust
2. Old-fashioned
3. Dull
4. Lifeless
5. Like dust
6. Contemptible, bad, as in the phrases not so dusty and a dusty answer (slang)

dust bag noun

A cloth or paper sack intended to hold the material sucked up by a vacuum cleaner

dustˈ-ball noun

A ball of grain-dust, etc, in a horse's intestine

dustˈ-bath noun

The action of birds in rubbing dust into their feathers, probably to get rid of parasites

dustˈbin noun

1. A receptacle for household rubbish
2. A repository for anything unwanted, unimportant, etc (figurative)

dust bowl noun

A drought area subject to dust storms (Dust Bowl the region of the USA along the western edge of the Great Plains)

dustˈ-brand noun

Smut

dustˈ-brush noun

A light brush for removing dust

dust bunny noun (N American informal)

A ball of dust and fluff

dustˈcart noun

A cart for taking away household rubbish

dustˈcoat noun

1. An overall
2. A light overcoat

dust cover noun

1. The jacket of a book
2. A dustsheet

dust devil or dust storm noun

A small storm in which a whirling column of dust or sand travels across a dry country

dust explosion noun

An explosion resulting from the ignition of small concentrations of flammable dust (eg coal dust or flour) in the air

dustˈ-hole noun (obsolete)

Dustbin

dusting powder noun

Fine powder, esp talcum powder

dust jacket noun

The jacket or dust cover of a book

dustˈman noun

A person employed to remove household rubbish

dustˈpan noun

A pan or shovel for removing dust swept from the floor

dustˈproof adjective

Impervious or inaccessible to dust

dustˈsheet noun

A cloth for protecting furniture from dust

dustˈ-shot noun

The smallest size of shot

dust storm see dust devil above.

dustˈ-up noun (informal)

A quarrel, a brawl

dusty answer noun (figurative)

An unsatisfying, unfruitful, or sordid response

dustˈy-foot see piepowder

dustˈy-millˈer noun

The auricula, from the white dust on its leaves and flowers

bite the dust see under bite

dust someone's jacket

To give someone a beating

kick up or raise a dust see under kick

throw dust in someone's eyes (figurative)

To deceive someone