dust off
Idioms-
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]
-
Pitch a baseball dangerously close to the batter's head, as in I'm sure he dusted him off on purpose . [ Slang ; 1920s]
-
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]
-
Thrash, beat up, as in If he didn't hand over his wallet, they threatened to dust him off . [ Slang ; 1920s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
First I had to dust off and reclaim the title of Artist I had buried underneath frustration and resentment and lay it loudly alongside that of Mother.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2025
Others used the shutdown to dust off esoteric research projects.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025
You can also use a pastry brush or a clean, unused paintbrush to dust off the surfaces.
From Salon • Mar. 22, 2025
“We actually had to dust off some old telefaxes,” remembers Mr Molland.
From BBC • Sep. 26, 2024
“All in good time, young mouse! Here, make yourself useful. You brush the dust off the words while I ink them in. Between us we’ll soon get it done.”
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
