powder

nounfine, loose grains made by crushing a solid
verbcrush into fine grains; sprinkle fine grains

Synonyms for powder

noun fine, loose grains made by crushing a solid

Antonyms for powder

solid

Word Origin & History

c.1300, "ash, cinders; dust of the earth;" early 14c., "pulverized substance;" mid-14c., "medicinal powder;" late 14c. as "gunpowder," from Old French poudre "dust, powder; ashes; powdered substance" (13c.), earlier pouldre (11c.), from Latin pulverem (nominative pulvis) "dust" (see pollen). Specialized sense "gunpowder" is from late 14c. In the sense "powdered cosmetic," it is recorded from 1570s.

In figurative sense, powder keg is first attested 1855. Powder room, euphemistic for "women's lavatory," is attested from 1936. Earlier it meant "place where gunpowder is stored on a warship" (1620s). Powder horn attested by 1530s. Powder puff first recorded 1704; as a symbol of femaleness or effeminacy, in use from at least 1930s.

Phrase take a powder "scram, vanish," is from 1920; it was a common phrase as a doctor's instruction, so perhaps from the notion of taking a laxative medicine or a sleeping powder, with the result that one has to leave in a hurry (or, on another guess, from a magician's magical powder, which made things disappear). Powder blue (1650s) was smelt used in laundering; as a color name from 1894.

Example Sentences for powder

But, fast as you could move, Scottie, powder drives lead a lot faster.

You see, we left the shop in such a hurry we never thought about powder and ball.

We sunk many guns in the lake; and as for the powder, that had taken care of itself.

Ignoring his wild shouts they crunched to powder all his giant bones.

Does the white chief burn his powder in the faces of his brothers?

Put the powder into small bottles, and secure the corks closely.

Powder the sugar, and strew it in layers between the slices of pine-apple.

Sift half a pound of flour, and powder a pound of loaf-sugar.

I mean to blow up the bears en masse with 100 lbs of powder.

There is only about half a pound of powder left, said Hatteras.

powder

Synonyms for powder

Antonyms for powder

ash

ash(es)

ashes

crumble

crumbled

powder

Synonyms for powder

Antonyms for powder

More words related to powder

ammunition

ash

ash(es)

ashes

crumble

crumbled