dust
dust
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "dust" is /dʌst/.
/dʌst/
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: dust
Uncountable: dust
Verb:
Base form: dust
Third-person singular present: dusts
Past tense: dusted
Past participle: dusted
Present participle: dusting
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: Fine, dry, powdery particles of matter, such as earth, pollen, or other debris, typically carried by the wind and accumulating on surfaces.
Synonyms: dirt, grime, powder, particles, motes, lint
Antonyms: cleanliness, purity (less direct antonyms, as "dust" refers to the substance itself)
Definition: A state of disuse, neglect, or ruin, often referring to something that has been forgotten or fallen into decay.
Synonyms: oblivion, decay, ruin, neglect, disuse, ashes
Antonyms: prominence, vitality, use, upkeep
Verb
Definition: To remove fine, dry particles from a surface, typically using a cloth, brush, or duster.
Synonyms: clean, wipe, brush, sweep, clear
Antonyms: dirty, soil, grime, mess (less direct antonyms, as "dust" is the action of cleaning)
Definition: To lightly sprinkle a powdery substance over a surface, often for culinary purposes or decoration.
Synonyms: sprinkle, powder, scatter, strew, dredge
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; the action is about adding, not removing)
Examples of Use
Books:
"He wiped a fine layer of dust from the ancient tome, revealing the faded gold lettering." (From The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, 1980)
"From dust you came and to dust you shall return." (From the Bible, Genesis 3:19, various translations)
Newspapers:
"Heavy winds kicked up dust storms across the plains, reducing visibility for drivers." (Associated Press, April 2024)
"The local council plans to dust off old proposals for the city center redevelopment." (The Guardian, March 2023)
Online Publications:
"How to Effectively Dust Your Home: A Comprehensive Guide to a Cleaner Living Space." (Good Housekeeping, October 2023)
"The new regulations aim to prevent companies from kicking up too much dust with their financial reporting." (The Wall Street Journal Online, May 2024)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Another One Bites the Dust." (A popular song by Queen, featured in numerous films and TV shows, released 1980)
Television: "He left them in the dust." (A common idiom used in sports commentary, often heard on ESPN, ongoing)
Video Games: In many role-playing games, characters might collect "stardust" or encounter enemies that "turn to dust" upon defeat (e.g., The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, 2011).
Music: "Just a little bit of dust on the bottle / But the wine is still good." (Lyrics from "Dust on the Bottle" by David Lee Murphy, 1995)
General Public Discourse:
"I need to dust the shelves before the guests arrive." (Common household conversation)
"The project has been gathering dust for months; it's time to get it moving again." (Workplace discussion)
"He's been out of the game for a while, but he's ready to dust off his skills." (Casual conversation about a returning athlete or professional)
10 Quotes Using Dust
"For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Genesis 3:19)
"The very dust of which you are composed is a work of art." (Tenzin Palmo)
"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life." (Muhammad Ali, though often misattributed, the sentiment is that one must "rise from the dust")
"Into thin air, and empty space, and dust, and dreams." (Lord Byron)
"A little dust is a sign of a clean house; a lot of dust is a sign of a lazy housekeeper." (Proverb)
"All we are is dust in the wind." (Kansas, "Dust in the Wind")
"Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." (William Shakespeare, Macbeth, often paraphrased as "to dust returneth")
"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." (Franklin D. Roosevelt, sometimes followed by "even if you're covered in dust")
"The paths of glory lead but to the grave." (Thomas Gray, "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," with the implied return to dust)
"And the very dust of the earth is a witness to the greatness of God." (Book of Mormon, Alma 30:44)
Etymology
The word "dust" has a very old history, tracing its roots back to ancient Germanic languages.
Original Meaning: The earliest known use of "dust" as a noun comes from Old English (before 1150 AD). It referred to fine, dry particles of earth or other matter that are light enough to be carried by the wind. It also had a more poetic or religious sense, referring to the "elementary substance of the human body" – that to which living things eventually decay. This is why you see phrases like "from dust you came and to dust you shall return" in old texts.
Where it Came From: The Old English word "dūst" itself came from an even older language called Proto-Germanic (the ancestor of languages like English, German, Dutch, and Scandinavian languages). In Proto-Germanic, there were words like "dunstaz", which also meant "dust," but could also refer to "mist" or "vapor." This suggests the original idea was about material that could easily float or rise into the air.
Even Older Roots: Go back even further, and "dust" is linked to a very ancient language called Proto-Indo-European (the common ancestor of a huge family of languages, including most European and some Asian languages). Here, the root "dheu-" had meanings related to "dust, smoke, or vapor."
So, in short, "dust" has always been about those tiny, lightweight particles that can float around, whether it's dirt, a mist, or even the remnants of something that has broken down. The meaning of "to remove dust" (as a verb) came much later, around the 1560s.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Dust
Bite the dust: To die; to fail completely.
Dust off something: To bring something out of disuse or storage; to revive something old.
Dust devil: A small, rotating column of air that picks up dust or sand.
Dust up: A fight or argument.
Leave someone in the dust: To greatly surpass someone; to leave them far behind.
Shake the dust off one's feet: To leave a place definitively, often with a sense of rejection or relief.
Gather dust: To remain unused for a long time.
Dust to dust: A phrase referring to the human body returning to the earth after death.
As dry as dust: Extremely dry.
Throw dust in someone's eyes: To mislead or deceive someone.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of dust from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
