powder

== English == === Alternative forms === powdre (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English poudre, pouder, pouldre, borrowed from Old French poudre, poldre, puldre, from Latin pulverem, accusative singular of Latin pulvis (“dust, powder”). Doublet of pulver. Compare pollen (“fine flour”), polverine, pulverize. === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpaʊ.də(ɹ)/ (Northumbria) IPA(key): /ˈpuː.dɐ/ (US) IPA(key): /ˈpaʊ.dɚ/ Rhymes: -aʊdə(ɹ) === Noun === powder (countable and uncountable, plural powders) The fine particles which are the result of reducing a dry substance by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or the result of decay; dust. (cosmetics) A mixture of fine dry, sweet-smelling particles applied to the face or other body parts, to reduce shine or to alleviate chaffing. An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.; gunpowder. (informal) Ellipsis of powder snow; light, dry, fluffy snow. Ellipsis of powder blue, a color. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== Tok Pisin: paura→ Rotokas: paora → Hindi: पाउडार (pāuḍār) → Māori: paura → Burmese: ပေါင်ဒါ (paungda) → Swahili: poda → Urdu: پاؤُڈَر (pāuḍar) ==== Translations ==== === Verb === powder (third-person singular simple present powders, present participle powdering, simple past and past participle powdered) (transitive) To reduce to fine particles; to pound, grind, or rub into a powder. 25 October 2016, Bettina Elias Siegel writing in New York Times, Should the Food Industry Sneak Vegetables Into Food? In desperation, they dried fruits and vegetables in an old food dehydrator they had, then used their coffee grinder to powder the produce... (transitive) To sprinkle with powder, or as if with powder. to powder one's hair 23 March 2016, Seth Augenstein in Laboratory Equipment, FDA Proposes Ban on Powdered Surgical Gloves, Decades after Documenting Health Dangers Gloves were powdered for more than a century to allow doctors and surgeons to slip them on more easily. (intransitive) To use powder on the hair or skin. 1778-1787, Frances Burney, The Diary and Letters of Madame D'Arblay If she is grave, and reads steadily on, she dismisses me, whether I am dressed or not; but at all times she never forgets to send me away while she is powdering, with a consideration not to spoil my clothes (intransitive) To turn into powder; to become powdery. (obsolete, transitive) To sprinkle with salt; to corn, as meat. (intransitive, slang) To depart suddenly; to "take a powder". ==== Synonyms ==== (to reduce to fine particles): pound, grind, comminute, pulverize, triturate ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === See also === powder on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === Anagrams === powdre, powred, prowed == Middle English == === Etymology 1 === ==== Noun ==== powder alternative form of poudre === Etymology 2 === ==== Verb ==== powder alternative form of poudren