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dustoff

[ duhst-awf, -of ]
/ ˈdʌstˌɔf, -ˌɒf /
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noun Military Slang.
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Origin of dustoff

1965–70; dust + (take)off, with pun on verb phrase dust off
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dustoff in a sentence

Other Idioms and Phrases with dustoff

dust off

1

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]

2

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

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]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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