dust
gb/dˈʌst/ us/dˈʌst/
A2
English
~ 3000
por, port töröl, leporol, porfelhő, szálló por, meghint, megszór
NOUN
A2
1
por
A2
Usage pattern:
[amount] of dust
The bookshelf was covered in a thick layer of dust.
A könyvespolcot vastag porréteg borította.
Dust rose into the air as the car drove down the dirt road.
Por szállt a levegőbe, ahogy az autó végighajtott a földúton.
She wiped the dust off the picture frame.
There was dust floating in the sunlight coming through the window.
Learner examples
There is dust on the table.
Por van az asztalon.
I clean the dust from my desk.
Letörlöm a port az íróasztalomról.
Dust is in the air when I open the window.
The floor has a lot of dust.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'dust' with 'dirt'; 'dirt' usually refers to soil or mud, while 'dust' refers to fine, dry particles.
Meaning
Fine dry powdery particles
Collocations
dust storm
|dust cloud
|layer of dust
|dust particles
|dust allergy
Synonyms
powder (General term for any fine dry material; not limited to dirt.)
Antonyms
cleanliness (The state of being free from dirt or dust.)
Themes
daily life
|home
|environment
|daily_life
|nature
|health
Definition
Very small, dry pieces of dirt or other materials that are in the air or on surfaces.
Fine, dry particles of matter, such as soil, pollen, or skin, that settle on surfaces or float in the air.
VERB
A2
2
port töröl
A2
leporol
B1
Usage pattern:
to dust [something]
I need to dust the living room before our guests arrive.
Port kell törölnöm a nappaliban, mielőtt megérkeznek a vendégeink.
She dusted the old books carefully.
Óvatosan leporolta a régi könyveket.
He forgot to dust the shelves this week.
Learner examples
I dust the table every day.
Mindennap letörlöm a port az asztalról.
She dusts her desk with a cloth.
Egy ronggyal törli le a port az íróasztaláról.
We dust the chairs before we sit.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'dust' as a verb with 'sprinkle with powder'; in cleaning contexts, it means to remove dust, not add it.
Meaning
Remove dust from a surface
Collocations
dust the shelves
|dust furniture
|dust off the table
Synonyms
wipe (A more general term for cleaning by rubbing a surface; not specific to dust.)
Antonyms
soil (To make something dirty rather than clean it.)
Themes
daily life
|home
|daily_life
|housing
Definition
To clean something by wiping away dust.
To clean a surface by removing dust from it.
NOUN
B1
3
porfelhő
B1
szálló por
B2
The workers wore masks to protect themselves from construction dust.
A munkások maszkot viseltek, hogy megvédjék magukat az építkezésen felszálló portól.
A cloud of volcanic dust covered the town.
Vulkáni porfelhő borította be a várost.
Chalk dust filled the classroom after the lesson.
Learner examples
There is a lot of dust from the road.
Sok por száll fel az útról.
The wind brings dust into the house.
A szél port hord be a házba.
Dust from the building makes me cough.
Meaning
Airborne fine powder from disturbance
Collocations
construction dust
|volcanic dust
|chalk dust
Synonyms
debris (Larger fragments or scattered remains; not always fine powder.)
Antonyms
purity (The state of being free from impurities such as dust.)
Themes
environment
|nature
|weather
|daily_life
Definition
Tiny pieces of dirt or other things in the air after something moves or breaks.
Fine particles in the air or on surfaces caused by disturbance, such as during construction or storms.
VERB
B1
4
Usage pattern:
to dust [something] with [powder]
Dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving.
Tálalás előtt hintsd meg a tortát porcukorral.
She dusted her face with a light layer of makeup.
Vékony réteg sminket vitt fel az arcára.
The chef dusted the steak with spices.
Learner examples
Dust the bread with sugar.
Szórd meg a kenyeret cukorral.
He dusts the cake with chocolate.
Megszórja a tortát csokoládéporral.
I dust my face with powder.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with cleaning. Here, 'dust' means to apply powder, not remove it.
Meaning
Sprinkle lightly with powder
Collocations
dust with flour
|dust with sugar
|dust with cocoa
Synonyms
sprinkle (General term for scattering small amounts; not limited to powders.)
Antonyms
wash off (To remove rather than apply a coating.)
Themes
cooking
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
To put a small amount of powder on something.
To cover lightly with a fine powdery substance.
NOUN
B2
LITERARY
5
por
C1
We are all but dust in the end.
A végén mindannyian csak por vagyunk.
From dust you came and to dust you shall return.
Porból lettél, és porrá leszel.
The ancient tomb held only dust where a body once lay.
Learner examples
The poem says we are all dust.
A vers azt mondja, hogy mindannyian por vagyunk.
He will return to dust after death.
Halála után porrá lesz.
The body became only dust.
Meaning
Powdery remains after death
Collocations
return to dust
Synonyms
ashes (Remains after burning; similar poetic use for death.)
Antonyms
life (Opposite state to death and decay.)
Themes
literature
|death
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A poetic word for what is left of a body after death; very small pieces like powder.
In literary or poetic use, human remains after death, emphasizing mortality and decay.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dust
IPA
GB/dˈʌst/
US/dˈʌst/
Syllables & stress
dust (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (dust)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: dust
- Plural: dust
Verb
- Base: dust
- 3rd Person Singular: dusts
- Present Participle: dusting
- Past: dusted
Word family
Expressions
bite the dust
1/bˈaɪt ðə dˈʌst/
idiom
informal
To die or be defeated completely
To die or fail completely.
Examples
- Another old building has bitten the dust after years of neglect.
- Several players bit the dust during the tough competition.
dust off
1/dˈʌst ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
Prepare something unused for reuse
To take something out after not using it for a long time and get it ready to use again.
Examples
- I’m going to dust off my old guitar and start playing again.
- She dusted off her resume before applying for new jobs.
gather dust
1/ɡˈæðɚ dˈʌst/
fixed phrase
Remain unused and collect dust
To not be used for a long time so that it gets dusty.
Examples
- My exercise bike has been gathering dust in the garage for years.
- The old books gathered dust on the shelf.
shake the dust off one's feet
1/ʃˈeɪk ðə dˈʌst ˈɔf wˈʌnz fˈit/
idiom
literary
Leave a place in protest or rejection and not return
To leave somewhere because you strongly disapprove and never want to go back.
Examples
- After years of mistreatment, she shook the dust off her feet and left town forever.
- He shook the dust off his feet and vowed never to return.
throw dust in someone's eyes
1/θɹˈoʊ dˈʌst ˈɪn sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈaɪz/
idiom
Deceive someone intentionally
To try to make someone believe something that is not true.
Examples
- The company threw dust in investors’ eyes about its real profits.
- He tried to throw dust in my eyes with his story.