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[pou-der] /ˈpaʊ dər/

noun
1.
any solid substance reduced to a state of fine, loose particles by crushing, grinding, disintegration, etc.
2.
a preparation in this form, as or .
3.
Also, powder snow. Skiing. loose, usually fresh snow that is not granular, wet, or packed.
verb (used with object)
4.
to reduce to powder; pulverize.
5.
to sprinkle or cover with powder:
She powdered the cookies with confectioners’ sugar.
6.
to apply powder to (the face, skin, etc.) as a cosmetic.
7.
to sprinkle or strew as if with powder:
A light snowfall powdered the landscape.
8.
to ornament in this fashion, as with small objects scattered over a surface:
a dress lightly powdered with sequins.
verb (used without object)
9.
to use powder as a cosmetic.
10.
to become pulverized.
[pou-der] /ˈpaʊ dər/
verb (used without object)
1.
British Dialect. to rush.
noun
2.
British Dialect. a sudden, frantic, or impulsive rush.
Idioms
3.
take a powder, Slang. to leave in a hurry; depart without taking leave, as to avoid something unpleasant:
He took a powder and left his mother to worry about his gambling debts.
Also, take a runout powder.
/ˈpaʊdə/
noun
1.
a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles
2.
any of various preparations in this form, such as gunpowder, face powder, or soap powder
3.
fresh loose snow, esp when considered as skiing terrain
4.
(US & Canadian, slang) take a powder, to run away or disappear
verb
5.
to turn into powder; pulverize
6.
(transitive) to cover or sprinkle with or as if with powder
n.

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.
v.

c.1300, “to put powder on;” late 14c., “to make into powder,” from Old French poudrer “to pound, crush to powder; strew, scatter,” from poudre (see powder (n.)). Related: Powdered; powdering.

powder pow·der (pou’dər)
n.

noun

verb

Related Terms

flea powder, foolish powder, joy-powder, runout powder, take a powder

[sense of running away probably fr similar dust fr the notion of raising dust as one runs; perhaps, in view of take a powder and run-out powder, the asi notion is reinforced by that of taking a medicinal powder, esp a laxative, so that one has to leave in a hurry, or perhaps a magical powder that would cause one to disappear]
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