Antonyms for powder

Grammar : Noun, verb

Spell : pou-der

Phonetic Transcription : ˈpaʊ dər

Definition of powder

Origin : c.1300, "ash, cinders; dust of the earth;" early 14c., "pulverized substance;" mid-14c., "medicinal powder;" late 14c. as "gunpowder," from Old French poudre "dust, powder; ashes; powdered substance" (13c.), earlier pouldre (11c.), from Latin pulverem (nominative pulvis) "dust" (see pollen). Specialized sense "gunpowder" is from late 14c. In the sense "powdered cosmetic," it is recorded from 1570s.
In figurative sense, powder keg is first attested 1855. Powder room, euphemistic for "women's lavatory," is attested from 1936. Earlier it meant "place where gunpowder is stored on a warship" (1620s). Powder horn attested by 1530s. Powder puff first recorded 1704; as a symbol of femaleness or effeminacy, in use from at least 1930s.
Phrase take a powder "scram, vanish," is from 1920; it was a common phrase as a doctor's instruction, so perhaps from the notion of taking a laxative medicine or a sleeping powder, with the result that one has to leave in a hurry (or, on another guess, from a magician's magical powder, which made things disappear). Powder blue (1650s) was smelt used in laundering; as a color name from 1894.

noun fine, loose grains made by crushing a solid
verb crush into fine grains; sprinkle fine grains

Example sentences :

But, fast as you could move, Scottie, powder drives lead a lot faster.
Extract from : « Way of the Lawless » by Max Brand

You see, we left the shop in such a hurry we never thought about powder and ball.
Extract from : « In the Midst of Alarms » by Robert Barr

We sunk many guns in the lake; and as for the powder, that had taken care of itself.
Extract from : « Ned Myers » by James Fenimore Cooper

Ignoring his wild shouts they crunched to powder all his giant bones.
Extract from : « Indian Legends of Vancouver Island » by Alfred Carmichael

Does the white chief burn his powder in the faces of his brothers?
Extract from : « The Last of the Mohicans » by James Fenimore Cooper

Put the powder into small bottles, and secure the corks closely.
Extract from : « Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches » by Eliza Leslie

Powder the sugar, and strew it in layers between the slices of pine-apple.
Extract from : « Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches » by Eliza Leslie

Sift half a pound of flour, and powder a pound of loaf-sugar.
Extract from : « Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches » by Eliza Leslie

I mean to blow up the bears en masse with 100 lbs of powder.
Extract from : « The Field of Ice » by Jules Verne

Next morning they set about building the storehouses and powder magazine.
Extract from : « The Field of Ice » by Jules Verne

Synonyms for powder

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019