Skip to main content
to powder

to powder

29 3.8
To put a fine dry substance on skin, hair or food
  • verb
  • /ˈpaʊdər/
translation icon : empolvar
  • Let me powder my nose first.
  • powder a wig

Examples

Synonyms

to dust
vsto powder
54 2.5

To cover something with a light layer of fine powder

is a deliberate application of fine cosmetic substance to skin or hair

Antonyms

1.5

To move something or someone away from a place

31 1.0

To remove something from a surface by washing with water or soap

Idioms

7 8.2

To go to the restroom to fix makeup or hair as a polite excuse

9.9

Too unimportant to spend time or money on

9.8

The result is too small to make the effort

Phrasal Verbs

4 9.9

To leave a place suddenly without telling anyone to avoid trouble

Compounds

18 2.8

A small bathroom for women in public places or for guests at home

15 6.7

An old type of gunpowder used in guns and fireworks

15 1.0

A white powder used in cooking to make dough or batter rise

8 1.7

A powder made from ground chili peppers and a few spices to add heat and flavor to food

powder keg
  • Literature
8 7.5

A place or situation that is very tense and could suddenly become violent

7 1.0

A soft, fine powder put on a baby's skin to keep it dry and comfortable

A fine powder used on the skin to absorb moisture and prevent rubbing

3 1.5

A fine dry powder used in baking and drinks to give a chocolate flavor

3 1.6

A mix of ground spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric used to season food

3 3.4

A light blue color with a faint purple hint

2 3.7

A pale blue color with a slight grey tint

1 3.0

A fine powder that you put on your face to make skin look smooth and less shiny

1 1.8

A dry powder made from milk that you add to water to make milk

A powdered medicine you take to ease head pain

powder horn
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A hollow animal horn for carrying gunpowder in the past

powder keg
  • Archaic
1 7.7

A strong metal container used to hold gunpowder for explosions

powder magazine
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A place where people store gunpowder and other explosives

A ground Chinese spice mix made from star anise, fennel, pepper, cloves and cinnamon

tooth powder
  • Archaic
1 3.3

A powder used to clean teeth instead of toothpaste

smokeless powder
  • Specialized
1 5.4

A gun fuel that makes little smoke when it burns

1 1.0

A powder used to clean clothes in a washing machine

1 1.6

A powder you add to water to clean clothes

A powder you sprinkle on your skin after a bath to keep skin dry and smell nice

bleaching powder
  • Specialized
4.1

A white powder used to bleach clothes and to kill germs

A makeup powder in brown tones put on skin to make it look tanned

built-soap powder
  • Specialized
7.9

Powder that has extra cleaning chemicals to remove stains

A fine brown powder made from a sweet pod, used like cocoa in baking

A face powder pressed into a small case that reduces shine and sets makeup

9.9

A powder doctors used in the past to reduce pain and make people sweat

A fine scented powder you put on the skin after bathing to soak up moisture and prevent irritation

A powder form of aspirin that dissolves quickly in water so it works faster and is easier to swallow

A small fluffy bread that uses baking powder and people often eat for breakfast or as a side

Goa powder
  • Archaic
9.9

A bitter yellow powder from tree bark once used to treat skin problems

A powder used to kill insects

A powder made from ground edible insects used to add protein to food

Rochelle powder
  • Archaic
8.2

A powder used to help you go to the toilet when you are constipated

powder technique
  • Specialized
8.6

A method that uses X-rays on a powder to identify a mineral or crystal

powder-post beetle
  • Specialized
9.4

A small insect whose young eat wood and leave fine dust

powder-post damage
  • Specialized
9.9

Wood damage caused by small beetles that leave fine dust and make it weak

powder-post termite
  • Specialized
9.8

A small insect that bores into dry wood in houses and leaves powdery dust

powder-puff
  • Offensive
7.9

A sports match played only by women

powder and shot
  • Archaic
9.9

A supply of gunpowder and bullets for old guns

powder metallurgy
  • Specialized
7.2

A way of making solid metal parts by pressing and heating metal powder without melting

powder method
  • Specialized
7.0

A method for finding what a mineral or crystal is by using X-rays on a crushed sample

powder monkey
  • Archaic
9.9

A young person who carried gunpowder across a warship to the cannons

9.9

A method for identifying minerals by using X-rays on a small powdered sample to make a pattern

8.4

A locked room on a ship where weapons like guns and bullets are kept

A small flat case with a mirror that holds face powder to touch up makeup

powder flask
  • Archaic
9.9

A small container for carrying gunpowder, often made from an animal horn

Seidlitz powder
  • Archaic
9.9

A powder used long ago to relieve constipation and upset stomachs

toilet powder
  • Archaic
3.6

A fine powder people put on their skin after bathing to feel dry and smell nice

How Much

to coat
105 2.8
to powder
29 3.8
to dust
54 2.5

Surface Forms

powder infinitive
powdered past
powdered past participle
powdering present participle
powders third person singular

Etymology

The verb powder (to put powder on something) also comes from Latin pulvis 'dust' through Old French poudre, so to powder your skin or hair is to cover it with fine, 'dust'-like particles.