powder

¹ American  

[pou-der] / ˈpaʊ dər /

verb (used without object)

1. British Dialect. to rush.

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noun

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

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.

powder ² American  

[pou-der] / ˈpaʊ dər /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to turn into powder; pulverize

2. (tr) to cover or sprinkle with or as if with powder

powder More Idioms  

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

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Other Word Forms

• powderer noun
• powdery adjective

Etymology

Origin of powder¹

First recorded in 1625–35; origin uncertain

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

Example Sentences

The Maryland woman, Cherie Craft, claimed Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder exposed her to asbestos, leading to her diagnosis of mesothelioma in January 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal

Snow will be less of a concern in the Southern California mountains during the week, though some ski resorts are forecast to see some fresh powder by Christmas Day.

From Los Angeles Times

At the same time, margin debt continues to climb, reaching levels not seen in years, a sign of elevated leverage and risk appetite rather than abundant dry powder.

From Barron's

It does this through an impressive array of artifacts—uniforms, powder horns, various weapons and a diary—that personalize these important battles.

From The Wall Street Journal

The term derives from the white crystalline powder used in cleaning, soldering, glass making and in pesticides, which in centuries past was sold as a cure-all.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• crumb
• dust