dust

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. √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 ]

n. a bin that holds rubbish until it is collected.
Syn. -- ashcan, trash can, garbage can, wastebin, ashbin, trash barrel, trash bin. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A brush of feathers, bristles, or hair, for removing dust from furniture. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a truck for collecting domestic refuse; as, in England a garbage truck is called a dustcart.
Syn. -- garbage truck. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A piece of cloth used for wiping dust from objects or surfaces.
Syn. -- dustrag, duster. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, dusts; a utensil that frees from dust. Specifically: (a) (Paper Making) A revolving wire-cloth cylinder which removes the dust from rags, etc. (b) (Milling) A blowing machine for separating the flour from the bran. (c) A dustcloth or a brush used for removing dust from objects or surfaces. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A long light overgarment; specifically (a) a light over-garment, formerly worn when traveling in open vehicles to protect the clothing from dust. [ U.S. ] (b) A light housecoat worn by women. (c) A light overcoat worn by women, often having no lining. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

3. A device for spreading a powder, especially one for spreading insecticide on plants. [ PJC ]

4. (Baseball) A pitch intentionally thrown by a pitcher directly at or very close to the batter, intended to make the batter stand further away from home plate; also called a dust-back pitch or a dust-back. [ PJC ]

5. A dust storm. [ PJC ]

n. The state of being dusty. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without dust; as a dustless path. [ 1913 Webster ]