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Glite Dictionary
to dust off

to dust off

15 3.5
Get something ready again after it has not been used
  • phrasal verb
  • /dʌst ɔf/
translation icon : desempolvar
  • Might as well dust off the old resume.

You will, I think, occasionally have to dust off the LPU unit.

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Examples

  • And I want to encourage and applaud you again for dusting off your Bible.

    Blog text (32)

  • Feels like to me you got to dust off the old plan.

  • OK I am going to dust off my under eye area now.

  • Time to dust off my face.

  • Time to dust off that bikini and hit the beach.

    The Purging Hour (2015)

  • Girls, go and dust off your ball gowns and pack your bags.

    Ella Enchanted (2004)

  • I said, "Carol, you better dust off those glad rags.

    They Nest (2000)

  • This being Halloween night I thought it'd be fun to dust off an old favorite from the golden days of radio.

    Spaced Invaders (1990)

  • So I dusted off an old high definition screen from my first screen printing experience and clamped it to the press.

  • It's been years since I last played the guitar, so I need to dust off my skills before the concert.

Synonyms

to clean up
vsto dust off
  • Informal
333 2.7

To finish dealing with things and put them in order

is about getting stored or unused items back into useful condition
to dust
vsto dust off
66 1.0

To remove small dry particles from a surface by wiping or brushing

is about preparing something kept unused to be ready for action again
to reuse
vsto dust off
44 2.3

To use something again after cleaning or fixing it

is about preparing an unused item to be ready for action
to reutilize
vsto dust off
  • US
5.1

To use something again after fixing it or for a new purpose

is about preparing something unused so it can be used again

Antonyms

to abandon
773 3.1

Leave someone or something behind permanently and without care

to neglect
256 3.8

Fail to care for someone or something you should look after

How Ready

to set up
983 2.7
to dust off
15 3.5
to take out
948 1.9
to idle
1 3.2

Surface Forms

dust off infinitive
dusted off past
dusted off past participle
dusting off present participle
dusts off third person singular

Morphology

dust + off

The literal composition 'dust' (remove particles) + 'off' (remove) transparently gives the sense of cleaning, and this cleaning action naturally extends metaphorically to 'make ready for use again' (removing neglect). However, that pragmatic/metaphorical extension (revive or reintroduce something) is not fully predictable from the parts for all B1 learners without prior exposure, so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

The phrasal verb dust off comes from the image of brushing the dust off an old object that has been left sitting and unused. So today, to dust off something means to clean it up and get it ready to 'use again'.