dust off

1. Pitch a baseball dangerously close to the batter's head, as in I'm sure he dusted him off on purpose . [ Slang ; 1920s]

2. Restore to use. For example, I've dusted off last year's menu for the party . This usage alludes to cleaning and thereby renewing some object. [Mid-1900s]

3. Finish off, kill; also, easily defeat. For example, They vowed to dust off the old man , or We'll dust off this team in no time . [ Slang ; c. 1940]

4. Thrash, beat up, as in If he didn't hand over his wallet, they threatened to dust him off . [ Slang ; 1920s]

Example Sentences

Mother was flitting round, giving the final dust-off and brush-about after our early tea.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• assassinate
• behead
• butcher
• decapitate
• destroy
• execute
• exterminate
• lynch
• massacre
• shoot
• slaughter
• slay
• strangle