◙ noun 1. [mass noun] fine, dry powder consisting of tiny particles of earth or waste matter lying on the ground or on surfaces or carried in the air • 灰尘，尘土，尘埃 »the car sent up clouds of dust. 汽车掀起一阵阵灰尘。 »they rolled and fought in the dust. 他们在尘土里翻滚扭打。 [with modifier] any material in the form of tiny particles • 粉尘 »coal dust. 煤尘。 [in sing.] a fine powder • 粉 »he ground it into a fine dust. 他将之磨成细粉。 [in sing.] a cloud of dust • 尘雾 (poetic/literary)a dead person's remains • [诗／文] 尸骨，遗骸 »scatter my dust and ashes. 散去我的遗骸和骨灰。 (literary)the mortal human body • [诗／文] 凡身，肉体 »the soul, that dwells within your dust. 居于你肉体之中的灵魂。 2. [in sing.] an act of dusting • 除去灰尘，掸尘，擦灰 »a quick dust, to get rid of the cobwebs. 迅速掸去蜘蛛网。 ◙ verb, [with obj.] 1. remove the dust from the surface of (something) by wiping or brushing it • 除去…的灰尘，擦（或刷、扫、掸）净 »I broke the vase I had been dusting. 我擦花瓶时把它打碎了。 »pick yourself up and dust yourself down. 爬起来，把身上的灰拍干净。 »[no obj.] she washed and dusted and tidied. 她洗了衣服，擦了灰尘，把东西收拾整齐。 (dust something down/off)bring something out for use again after a long period of neglect • 把（长期不用的东西）备好待用，重新采用 »a number of aircraft will be dusted off and returned to flight. 许多长期闲置的飞机将被重新启用。 2. [一般作 be dusted] cover lightly with a powdered substance • 把（粉末等）撒于，在…上撒（粉末等） »roll out on a surface dusted with icing sugar. 从撒着糖粉的表面滚出来。 sprinkle (a powdered substance) on to something • 撒（粉末等）于… »orange powder was dusted over the upper body. 在上部撒上橙色的粉末。 3. [US informal] beat up or kill someone • [美，非正式] 痛打，揍；杀 »the officers dusted him up a little bit. 那些警官揍了他一顿。
【IDIOMS】
◘ be done and dusted 1. [informal] (of a project) be completely finished or ready • [非正式] （工程）完成，就绪 »well, that's part one done and dusted. 这就是已经完成的第一部分。 ◘ dust and ashes 1. used to convey a feeling of great disappointment or disillusion about something • 令人失望的事物 »the party would be dust and ashes if he couldn't come. 如果他不来，这个聚会会令人大失所望的。 ◘ the dust settles 1. things quieten down • 混乱结束，骚乱平息，纷扰平静下来 »she hoped that the dust would settle quickly and the episode be forgotten. 她希望这场混乱快些结束，这一段故事就此被忘却。 ◘ eat someone's dust 1. [N. Amer. informal] fall far behind someone in a competitive situation • [北美，非正式] 远远落在某人的后面，望尘莫及 ◘ gather (或 collect) dust 1. remain unused • 被搁置，落满灰尘 »some professors let their computers gather dust. 一些教授搁着他们的电脑不用，任其落满灰尘。 ◘ leave someone/thing in the dust 1. surpass someone or something easily • 轻松胜过，远远胜于，比…强得多 »today's modems leave their predecessors in the dust. 现在的调制解调器要远远胜于以前的。 ◘ not see someone for dust 1. find that a person has made a hasty departure • 发现某人已匆匆离去 ◘ kick up a dust (或美 1. [informal] create a disturbance • [非正式] 吵闹，引起骚乱，惹是生非
【派生】
♦ dustless adjective
【语源】
1. Old English dūst, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch duist 'chaff'