dust
gb/dˈʌst/ us/dˈʌst/
A2
English
~ 3000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Fine dry powdery particles
Very small, dry pieces of dirt or other materials that are in the air or on surfaces.
Usage pattern:
[amount] of dust
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'dust' with 'dirt'; 'dirt' usually refers to soil or mud, while 'dust' refers to fine, dry particles.
Synonyms
powder (General term for any fine dry material; not limited to dirt.)
Antonyms
cleanliness (The state of being free from dirt or dust.)
Collocations
dust storm
|dust cloud
|layer of dust
|dust particles
|dust allergy
Themes
daily life
|home
|environment
|daily_life
|nature
|health
Examples
- The bookshelf was covered in a thick layer of dust.
- Dust rose into the air as the car drove down the dirt road.
- 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.
- I clean the dust from my desk.
- Dust is in the air when I open the window.
- The floor has a lot of dust.
Verb
A2
action
2
Remove dust from a surface
To clean something by wiping away dust.
Usage pattern:
to dust [something]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'dust' as a verb with 'sprinkle with powder'; in cleaning contexts, it means to remove dust, not add it.
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.)
Collocations
dust the shelves
|dust furniture
|dust off the table
Themes
daily life
|home
|daily_life
|housing
Examples
- I need to dust the living room before our guests arrive.
- She dusted the old books carefully.
- He forgot to dust the shelves this week.
Learner examples
- I dust the table every day.
- She dusts her desk with a cloth.
- We dust the chairs before we sit.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Airborne fine powder from disturbance
Tiny pieces of dirt or other things in the air after something moves or breaks.
Synonyms
debris (Larger fragments or scattered remains; not always fine powder.)
Antonyms
purity (The state of being free from impurities such as dust.)
Collocations
construction dust
|volcanic dust
|chalk dust
Themes
environment
|nature
|weather
|daily_life
Examples
- The workers wore masks to protect themselves from construction dust.
- A cloud of volcanic dust covered the town.
- Chalk dust filled the classroom after the lesson.
Learner examples
- There is a lot of dust from the road.
- The wind brings dust into the house.
- Dust from the building makes me cough.
Verb
B1
action
4
Sprinkle lightly with powder
To put a small amount of powder on something.
Usage pattern:
to dust [something] with [powder]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with cleaning. Here, 'dust' means to apply powder, not remove it.
Synonyms
sprinkle (General term for scattering small amounts; not limited to powders.)
Antonyms
wash off (To remove rather than apply a coating.)
Collocations
dust with flour
|dust with sugar
|dust with cocoa
Themes
cooking
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- Dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving.
- She dusted her face with a light layer of makeup.
- The chef dusted the steak with spices.
Learner examples
- Dust the bread with sugar.
- He dusts the cake with chocolate.
- I dust my face with powder.
Noun
literary
B2
entity
5
Powdery remains after death
A poetic word for what is left of a body after death; very small pieces like powder.
Synonyms
ashes (Remains after burning; similar poetic use for death.)
Antonyms
life (Opposite state to death and decay.)
Collocations
return to dust
Themes
literature
|death
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We are all but dust in the end.
- From dust you came and to dust you shall return.
- The ancient tomb held only dust where a body once lay.
Learner examples
- The poem says we are all dust.
- He will return to dust after death.
- The body became only dust.
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.