1. [n]  fine powdery material such as dry earth or pollen that can be blown about in the air; "the furniture was covered with dust"
2. [n]  free microscopic particles of solid material; "astronomers say that the empty space between planets actually contains measurable amounts of dust"
3. [n]  the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up
4. [v]  remove the dust from, as of furniture
5. [v]  rub the dust over a surface so as to blur the outlines of a shape; "The artist dusted the charcoal drawing down to a faint image"
6. [v]  distribute loosely; "He scattered gun powder under the wagon."
7. [v]  cover with a light dusting of a substance; "dust the bread with flour"

1. \Dust\, n. [AS. dust; cf. LG. dust, D. duist meal dust, OD.
   doest, donst, and G. dunst vapor, OHG. tunist, dunist, a
   blowing, wind, Icel. dust dust, Dan. dyst mill dust; perh.
   akin to L. fumus smoke, E. fume. ?.]
   1. Fine, dry particles of earth or other matter, so
      comminuted that they may be raised and wafted by the wind;
      that which is crumbled too minute portions; fine powder;
      as, clouds of dust; bone dust.
   
            Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
                                                  --Gen. iii.
                                                  19.
   
            Stop! -- for thy tread is on an empire's dust.
                                                  --Byron.
   
   2. A single particle of earth or other matter. [R.] ``To
      touch a dust of England's ground.'' --Shak.
   
   3. The earth, as the resting place of the dead.
   
            For now shall sleep in the dust.      --Job vii. 21.
   
   4. The earthy remains of bodies once alive; the remains of
      the human body.
   
            And you may carve a shrine about my dust.
                                                  --Tennyson.
   
   5. Figuratively, a worthless thing.
   
            And by the merit of vile gold, dross, dust. --Shak.
   
   6. Figuratively, a low or mean condition.
   
            [God] raiseth up the poor out of the dust. --1 Sam.
                                                  ii. 8.
   
   7. Gold dust; hence: (Slang) Coined money; cash.
   
   {Down with the dust}, deposit the cash; pay down the money.
      [Slang] ``My lord, quoth the king, presently deposit your
      hundred pounds in gold, or else no going hence all the
      days of your life. . . . The Abbot down with his dust, and
      glad he escaped so, returned to Reading.'' --Fuller.
   
   {Dust brand} (Bot.), a fungous plant ({Ustilago Carbo}); --
      called also {smut}.
   
   {Gold dust}, fine particles of gold, such as are obtained in
      placer mining; -- often used as money, being transferred
      by weight.
   
   {In dust and ashes}. See under {Ashes}.
   
   {To bite the dust}. See under {Bite}, v. t.
   
   {To}
   
   {raise, or kick up, dust}, to make a commotion. [Colloq.]
   
   {To throw dust in one's eyes}, to mislead; to deceive.
      [Colloq.]
   
   

2. \Dust\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Dusted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Dusting}.]
   1. To free from dust; to brush, wipe, or sweep away dust
      from; as, to dust a table or a floor.
   
   2. To sprinkle with dust.
   
   3. To reduce to a fine powder; to levigate. --Sprat.
   
   {To dyst one's jacket}, to give one a flogging. [Slang.]
   
   

Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern travellers. They are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a rain of "powder and dust" (Deut. 28:24).

To cast dust on the head was a sign of mourning (Josh. 7:6); and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction (Isa. 47:1). "Dust" is used to denote the grave (Job 7:21). "To shake off the dust from one's feet" against another is to renounce all future intercourse with him (Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51). To "lick the dust" is a sign of abject submission (Ps. 72:9); and to throw dust at one is a sign of abhorrence (2 Sam. 16:13; comp. Acts 22:23).