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. Skiing.,  Also 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. 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

Other Word Forms

• powderer noun
• powdery adjective

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, 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.

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

Example Sentences

"With this drill I carefully remove small amounts of powder. I store that powder in a plastic vial and transport it back to our lab at the University of Michigan for isotopic analysis."

Read more on Science Daily

He tinkered around with the idea and developed a flash-frozen burrito filled with beef, beans and red chili powder.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

TJ’s knows that you can’t have turkey without gravy on the side, hence why they offer a “ready-to-use” Turkey Gravy seasoned with herbs, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric extract and dried potato flakes.

Read more on Salon

Alcohol-free beer or wine, infant formula, drinks sold as powder and cocktails or mocktails served in an open container also don't fall within the scope of the sugar tax.

Read more on BBC

Zak's shop has four different types of mushroom powder on its menu, which he says all have different benefits.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• crumb 
• dust