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Glite Dictionary
for dust

for dust

1 9.9
To leave quickly so nobody sees you again
  • idiom
  • UK
translation icon : desaparecer
  • After she won the lottery, she was for dust and we never saw her again.

Examples

  • He left for dust after the argument.

  • I turned to ask him a question, but he was for dust.

  • As soon as the bell rang, the students were for dust out of the classroom.

  • She vanished for dust when she saw the police.

  • If I had anywhere else to go, you wouldn't see me for dust.

  • When he realized they were angry, he left the room and vanished for dust.

  • The thief grabbed the money and disappeared for dust before anyone could react.

Synonyms

into thin air
vsfor dust
26 6.3

Disappear completely with no trace left

focuses on sudden departure to avoid notice, not only unexplained absence
to disappear into thin air
vsfor dust
  • Informal
8 4.4

To vanish suddenly with no trace

describes leaving very quickly so nobody sees them instead of unexplained vanishing
to take a powder
vsfor dust
  • Archaic
4 9.9

To leave a place suddenly without telling anyone to avoid trouble

involves leaving fast to avoid being seen rather than to escape trouble
in a puff of smoke
vsfor dust
  • Informal
1 8.4

Suddenly disappears without a clear reason

means leaving very fast to avoid being seen, not only magical disappearance
to see for dust
vsfor dust
  • Informal
9.9

To never see someone again after they leave quickly

is used when someone left very quickly to avoid being seen by others
with a poof
vsfor dust
  • Informal
8.9

Suddenly and completely as if by magic

is used when someone leaves quickly to avoid sight, not only playfully

Antonyms

to stay
∞ 1.0

To remain in one place and not leave

Surface Forms

dust positive

Morphology

for + dust

The meaning 'disappeared or left very quickly' cannot be directly derived from the literal senses of 'for' and 'dust'; the phrase is idiomatic and does not follow a transparent compositional pattern. Any connection to images like being left 'in the dust' is indirect and requires prior idiomatic knowledge, so a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would likely not predict this sense.

Etymology

For dust paints a picture of someone moving so fast they vanish into a cloud of dust, like a horse or cart that kicks up dirt when it races away. So, if someone is 'for dust' they have gone very quickly and are out of sight.