dust1 /dʌst/ ●●● S3 W3 noun 1 DH[uncountableU] dry powder consisting of extremely small bits of dirt that is in buildings on furniture, floors etc if they are not kept clean 灰尘,尘埃 All the furniture was covered in dust. 所有的家具都蒙上了灰尘。
a thick layer of dust 厚厚的一层灰尘
There’s not a speck of dust in the kitchen. 厨房里一尘不染。
gather/collect dust (=become covered with dust) 积尘 Her old trophies were collecting dust on the shelves. 她的旧奖杯在书架上积起了灰尘。
Dust particles floated in the sunlight. 阳光里飘浮着尘埃颗粒。
A sudden breeze sent motes of dust (=small bits of dust) dancing in the air. 突然刮起一阵微风吹得灰尘飞扬。
→4 See picture on 见图 Page A3 Cleaning 清洁;打扫 2 DH[uncountableU] dry powder consisting of extremely small bits of earth or sand 沙土,尘土 The wind was blowing dust and leaves up from the ground. 风吹起了地上的尘土和树叶。
A car sped past in a cloud of dust. 一辆汽车疾驰而过,扬起一片尘土。
3 TIH[uncountableU] powder consisting of extremely small bits of a particular substance 粉末,粉尘coal/brick/chalk etc dust 煤灰/砖粉/粉笔灰等
4 a dust DHC British EnglishBrE the act of dusting something 掸灰,去尘 I need to give the sitting room a dust. 我要给起居室掸掸灰尘。
5. let the dust settle/wait for the dust to settle CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTANDto allow or wait for a confused situation to become clear 让尘埃落定/等待情况明朗 → bite the dust at bite1(8), → dusty, → leave somebody in the dust at leave1(15), → not see somebody for dust at see1(35)n COLLOCATIONSverbsbe covered in dustEverything was filthy and covered in dust.
gather/collect dust (=become covered with dust)Piles of old books lay on the floor gathering dust.
phrasesa layer of dustI brushed away the thin layer of dust which covered the picture.
a speck of dust (=a tiny piece of dust)By the time I'd finished cleaning, there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere.
a particle of dust/a dust particle (=a small piece of dust)The air is full of dust particles.
motes of dust/dust motes literary (=small pieces of dust)Glittering motes of dust hung in the sunlight.