I. ˈpau̇də(r) noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English poudre, from Old French, from Latin pulver-, pulvis dust — more at pollen
1. : a substance composed of fine particles: as
a. : dry pulverized earth or disintegrated matter : dust
b. : the spores of lycopodium — see lycopodium powder
c. or powder snow : fine dry light snow
five inches new powder ; skiing excellent
— compare corn snow
2. : a powdered preparation : a product in the form of discrete usually fine particles
metal powders
as
a. : a medicine or medicated preparation in powdered form
antiseptic powder
digestive powder
powders … prepared extemporaneously by the pharmacist — E.F.Cook & E.W.Martin
b. : a finely ground or dehydrated condiment or food
curry powder
ice cream powder
c. : a usually perfumed cosmetic especially for the skin or hair
3.
a. : any of various solid explosives used chiefly in gunnery and blasting: as
(1) : gunpowder
(2) : black powder
(3) : smokeless powder
(4) : dynamite
b. : impetus or explosive force
the postponement seemed to add powder to the … issue — Newsweek
II. verb
( powdered ; powdered ; powdering -d(ə)riŋ ; powders )
Etymology: Middle English poudren, from Old French poudrer to cover with dust, from poudre, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. : to cover with or as if with powder : dust
a friar … stood at the door, his habit and beard powdered with snow — Robert Brennan
mildew … powders it as white as a clown — Andrew Young
b. : to apply a cosmetic powder to
pulled out her compact and powdered her nose
their heads powdered with gold — Effie Gray
2. : scatter , bestrew
nose powdered with golden freckles — Ellen Glasgow
white chiffon powdered with minute gold beads — Country Life
specifically : to sow with small heraldic charges
powder their red mantlings with gold billets — W.H. St. John Hope
— compare sem é
3. archaic : to sprinkle with a condiment
give you leave to powder and eat me too — Shakespeare
specifically : to preserve by salting
4.
a. : to reduce to powder by grinding : comminute , pulverize , triturate
b. : to convert into powder by means other than grinding
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to be reduced to powder : become pulverized : crumble into dust
two skeletons … powdered upon exposure, and could not be measured — C.S.Coon
specifically : chalk
using too thin varnish in printer's ink causes it to powder
b. : to shed powder
the bulrushes … were ripe and powdering — Rumer Godden
2. : to apply or use cosmetic powder
girls not old enough to paint and powder
actors powder with the left hand for luck
3. slang : to go away in a hurry : decamp , escape
instead of powdering out of town right away, I buy some new clothes — H.L.Dutkin
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: origin unknown
chiefly dialect : a sudden impetuous rush or irrational hurry — often used with in or with
a knocking at the gate, laid on in haste with such a powder — Samuel Butler †1680
IV. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
chiefly dialect : to rush or hurry especially impetuously
gallops up to us, the groom powdering afterward — W.M.Thackeray