I. pow ‧ der 1 /ˈpaʊdə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: poudre , from Latin pulvis 'dust' ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] a dry substance in the form of very small grains:
curry powder
talcum powder
Grind the sugar into a powder.
The paint is supplied in powder form.
milk/custard etc powder (=a powder that you add water to in order to change it into a liquid)
2 . [uncountable] ( also face powder ) a type of powder that you put on your face in order to make it look smoother and to give it more colour
3 . a powder keg a dangerous situation or place where violence or trouble could suddenly start:
Since the riot, the city has been a powder keg waiting to explode.
4 . [uncountable] ( also powder snow ) dry light snow:
There’s a foot of powder on the slopes.
5 . [uncountable] ↑ gunpowder
6 . keep your powder dry to wait calmly until you see how a situation develops before deciding what to do
II. powder 2 BrE AmE verb
1 . [transitive] to put powder on something, especially your skin:
She was powdering her face.
2 . powder your nose an expression meaning to go to the ↑ toilet , used by women to avoid saying this directly:
She’s just gone to powder her nose.