powder
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
powder/ˈpaʊdə(r)/
▶noun
- 1 fine, dry particles produced by the grinding, crushing, or disintegration of a solid substance.
- 2 a cosmetic in this form applied to a person's face.
- 3 dated a medicine in this form.
- 4 loose, dry newly fallen snow.
- 5 gunpowder.
- 1 apply powder to; sprinkle or cover with powder.
- 2 (usu. as adj. powdered) reduce to a powder.
– phrases
keep one's powder dry remain cautious and alert.
take a powder N. Amer. informal depart quickly.
keep one's powder dry remain cautious and alert.
take a powder N. Amer. informal depart quickly.
– derivatives
powdery adjective.
powdery adjective.
– origin ME: from OFr. poudre, from L. pulvis, pulver- ‘dust’.
'powder' also found in these Oxford entries:
alcohol
- baking powder
- besprinkle
- black powder
- bleaching powder
- bluing
- boron
- bronzer
- calamine
- calomel
- carbon black
- carob
- cayenne
- chilli
- chilli con carne
- chilli powder
- coarse
- cocoa
- coffee
- compact
- coronation chicken
- curry powder
- custard
- dead duck
- dentifrice
- dragon's blood
- drinking chocolate
- dust
- dusty miller
- effloresce
- elixir
- emery
- flour
- foundation
- funnel
- grind
- ground glass
- insufflator
- itching powder
- jello
- kohl
- levigate
- lycopodium
- make-up
- masala
- matchlock
- meal
- mill
- mirch
- pancake
