powder

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Powdered p. pr. & vb. n. Powdering. ] [ F. poudrer. ] 1. To reduce to fine particles; to pound, grind, or rub into a powder; to comminute; to pulverize; to triturate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To sprinkle with powder, or as with powder; to be sprinkle; as, to powder the hair. [ 1913 Webster ]

A circling zone thou seest
Powdered with stars. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To sprinkle with salt; to corn, as meat. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. poudre, pouldre, F. poudre, OF. also poldre, puldre, L. pulvis, pulveris: cf. pollen fine flour, mill dust, E. pollen. Cf. Polverine, Pulverize. ] 1. The fine particles to which any dry substance is reduced by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or into which it falls by decay; dust. [ 1913 Webster ]

Grind their bones to powder small. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.; gunpowder. See Gunpowder. [ 1913 Webster ]

Atlas powder,
Baking powder, etc. See under Atlas, Baking, etc. --
Powder down (Zool.), the peculiar dust, or exfoliation, of powder-down feathers. --
Powder-down feather (Zool.), one of a peculiar kind of modified feathers which sometimes form patches on certain parts of some birds. They have a greasy texture and a scaly exfoliation. --
Powder-down patch (Zool.), a tuft or patch of powder-down feathers. --
Powder hose, a tube of strong linen, about an inch in diameter, filled with powder and used in firing mines. Farrow. --
Powder hoy (Naut.), a vessel specially fitted to carry powder for the supply of war ships. They are usually painted red and carry a red flag. --
Powder magazine, or
Powder room. See Magazine, 2. --
Powder mine, a mine exploded by gunpowder. See Mine. --
Powder monkey (Naut.), a boy formerly employed on war vessels to carry powder; a powder boy. --
Powder post. See Dry rot, under Dry. --
Powder puff. See Puff, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To be reduced to powder; to become like powder; as, some salts powder easily. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To use powder on the hair or skin; as, she paints and powders. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Reduced to a powder; sprinkled with, or as with, powder. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Sprinkled with salt; salted; corned. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Powdered beef, pickled meats. Harvey. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Her.) Same as Semé. Walpole. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A flask in which gunpowder is carried, having a charging tube at the end. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A horn in which gunpowder is carried. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Powder, v. t. [ 1913 Webster ]

Powdering tub. (a) A tub or vessel in which meat is corned or salted. (b) A heated tub in which an infected lecher was placed for cure. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A mill in which gunpowder is made. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Affected with dry rot; reduced to dust by rot. See Dry rot, under Dry. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]