- smut
- Dust Dust (d[u^]st), n. [AS. dust; cf. LG. dust, D. duist meal
dust, OD. doest, donst, and G. dunst vapor, OHG. tunist,
dunist, a blowing, wind, Icel. dust dust, Dan. dyst mill
dust; perh. akin to L. fumus smoke, E. fume. [root]71.]
1. Fine, dry particles of earth or other matter, so
comminuted that they may be raised and wafted by the wind;
that which is crumbled to minute portions; fine powder;
as, clouds of dust; bone dust.
[1913 Webster]
Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. --Gen. iii. 19. [1913 Webster]
Stop! -- for thy tread is on an empire's dust. --Byron. [1913 Webster]
2. A single particle of earth or other matter. [R.] ``To touch a dust of England's ground.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]
3. The earth, as the resting place of the dead. [1913 Webster]
For now shall sleep in the dust. --Job vii. 21. [1913 Webster]
4. The earthy remains of bodies once alive; the remains of the human body. [1913 Webster]
And you may carve a shrine about my dust. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]
5. Figuratively, a worthless thing. [1913 Webster]
And by the merit of vile gold, dross, dust. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
6. Figuratively, a low or mean condition. [1913 Webster]
[God] raiseth up the poor out of the dust. --1 Sam. ii. 8. [1913 Webster]
7. Gold dust; hence: (Slang) Coined money; cash. [1913 Webster]
{Down with the dust}, deposit the cash; pay down the money. [Slang] ``My lord, quoth the king, presently deposit your hundred pounds in gold, or else no going hence all the days of your life. . . . The Abbot down with his dust, and glad he escaped so, returned to Reading.'' --Fuller.
{Dust brand} (Bot.), a fungous plant ({Ustilago Carbo}); -- called also {smut}.
{Gold dust}, fine particles of gold, such as are obtained in placer mining; -- often used as money, being transferred by weight.
{In dust and ashes}. See under {Ashes}.
{To bite the dust}. See under {Bite}, v. t.
{To raise dust}, or
{To kick up dust}, to make a commotion. [Colloq.]
{To throw dust in one's eyes}, to mislead; to deceive. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
