powder

¹

[ pou-der ]

noun

1. any solid substance reduced to a state of fine, loose particles by crushing, grinding, disintegration, etc.
2. a preparation in this form, as gunpowder or face powder.
3. Also . Skiing. loose, usually fresh snow that is not granular, wet, or packed.

verb (used with object)

1. to reduce to powder; pulverize.
2. to sprinkle or cover with powder:

   She powdered the cookies with confectioners' sugar.

3. to apply powder to (the face, skin, etc.) as a cosmetic.
4. to sprinkle or strew as if with powder:

   A light snowfall powdered the landscape.

5. to ornament in this fashion, as with small objects scattered over a surface:

   a dress lightly powdered with sequins.

verb (used without object)

1. to use powder as a cosmetic.
2. to become pulverized.

powder

²

[ pou-der ]

verb (used without object)

1. British Dialect. to rush.

noun

1. British Dialect. a sudden, frantic, or impulsive rush.

powder

/ ˈpaʊdə /

noun

1. a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles
2. any of various preparations in this form, such as gunpowder, face powder, or soap powder
3. fresh loose snow, esp when considered as skiing terrain
4. take a powder slang.
   to run away or disappear

verb

1. to turn into powder; pulverize
2. tr to cover or sprinkle with or as if with powder

Derived Forms

• ˈpowderer, noun
• ˈpowdery, adjective

Other Words From

• powder·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of powder¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English noun poudre, pouder, from Old French poudre, pouldre, from Latin pulver- (stem of pulvis ) “dust, powder”; akin to pollen; the verb is derivative of the noun

Origin of powder²

First recorded in 1625–35; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of powder¹

C13: from Old French poldre, from Latin pulvis dust

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. take a powder, Slang. to leave in a hurry; depart without taking leave, as to avoid something unpleasant: Also take a runout powder.

   He took a powder and left his mother to worry about his gambling debts.

More idioms and phrases containing powder

see keep one's powder dry ; sitting on a powder keg ; take a powder .

Example Sentences

It’s filled with an emery powder, which can sharpen needles.

From Washington Post

Toner cartridges use a powder and precision technology to accurately and sharply print out text documents.

From Popular-Science

Plus, metal powders also can present a “breathing hazard,” Gunduz points out.

From Popular-Science

Next, glazes are mixed, requiring a number of powders, sands, and clays.

From Eater

The new catalyst is a powder made of cheap ingredients, such as iron.

From Science News For Students

Place the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt on parchment or wax paper.

From The Daily Beast

Other versions are coated in marzipan, or dusted in powder sugar.

From The Daily Beast

This powder can be shipped anywhere and then reconstituted—just add water, as if it were instant coffee.

From The Daily Beast

So the new inhaled powder measles vaccine may in a few years turn out to be an easier way to protect kids from measles.

From The Daily Beast

They say that the Israelis framed him in order to light the powder keg of religious war over the al-Aqsa compound.

From The Daily Beast

The law went into operation in England imposing a tax on wearing hair powder.

From Project Gutenberg

The girl began to hum, as she powdered her nose with a white glove, lying in a powder box.

From Project Gutenberg

Steam machinery would accomplish more than nine-tenths of all the work, besides saving the expense of all the powder.

From Project Gutenberg

When first seen it is said to have had a pasty consistency, but on exposure to the air it dried and crumbled into powder.

From Project Gutenberg

The poorest people reduce it to powder by manual labour, in the same way as they grind corn preparatory to baking it into cakes.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• grate