duster
/ˈdʌstə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʌstər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdə-stər/ (ame, mw)
duster — noun
- dustersingular
- dustersplural
1. a soft piece of fabric that you wipe over tables, shelves, and other surfaces to
a soft piece of fabric that you wipe over tables, shelves, and other surfaces to pick up dust
Mei reached for a damp duster and wiped down every shelf in the living room.
collocation: damp duster
There was a fresh cotton duster folded inside the cleaning cupboard.
Tomas shook the dusty duster out of the upstairs window.
A soft duster works better on polished wood than a rough rag.
- dust cloth
the full, more formal term; common on product labels
- dust rag
informal, especially American; implies an old, repurposed piece of fabric
- cleaning cloth
broader term; not limited to dusting — can be used with water or polish
常見錯誤
2. a long-handled tool with soft feathers or a cloth head at the tip, that you swee
a long-handled tool with soft feathers or a cloth head at the tip, that you sweep over surfaces to brush dust off without touching them directly
Samir flicked a feather duster over the picture frames on the mantelpiece.
collocation: flick a feather duster
The old ostrich-plume duster had belonged to Aunt Florencia for decades.
Diego twirled the duster around the lamp shades and ceiling corners.
Zoya dusted her grandmother's porcelain swan with the feather duster, barely grazing its wings.
From the top shelf, Anjali whisked the duster down over the rows of books.
- feather duster
the full term; used when you need to be specific about the type
- whisk
old-fashioned term for a small hand-held duster, now rare
用法筆記
Often called a 'feather duster' in full; 'duster' alone is common when the cleaning context is clear.
常見錯誤
3. a lightweight, loose-fitting dress or robe that women wear around the house, oft
a lightweight, loose-fitting dress or robe that women wear around the house, often over nightwear or while doing chores
Ingrid answered the morning bell in her cotton duster and slippers.
collocation: cotton duster
Fatima slipped into her warm duster before making coffee at dawn.
Elena folded the flower-print duster and laid it on the bed.
Nara spent the whole rainy Saturday in her favourite pink duster.
The pale blue duster hung on a peg behind the bathroom door.
- housecoat
the standard modern equivalent; a loose coat worn over nightclothes at home
- housedress
a more structured, often buttoned dress for housework
- wrapper
old-fashioned term, especially in American English; a loose robe tied at the waist
- robe
broader term that includes bathrobes; less specific to housework
用法筆記
Somewhat dated; more common in mid-20th-century English. Modern speakers tend to say 'housecoat' or 'robe' instead.
常見錯誤
4. a long, thin coat worn over regular clothes to keep the dust off, originally mad
a long, thin coat worn over regular clothes to keep the dust off, originally made for travellers in open vehicles and on horseback
Ezra put on a linen duster before climbing into the open-top motorcar.
collocation: linen duster
Amara's grandfather still kept his old canvas duster from the ranch days.
The riders wore dusters to keep the trail grit off their shirts and trousers.
Clara found a vintage duster hanging in the back of the second-hand shop.
Noor zipped up a beige duster coat before cycling down the dirt road.
- duster coat
the full term; emphasises that it is outerwear, not a house garment
- dust coat
less common variant; same meaning
- driving coat
historical term specific to early motorists
用法筆記
Now mainly historical; associated with early motorcar travel and the American West.
5. a powerful wind that sweeps across dry land, carrying thick clouds of dust and s
a powerful wind that sweeps across dry land, carrying thick clouds of dust and sand that darken the sky
Kwame watched the black duster roll across the plains toward the village.
collocation: black duster / roll across
A sudden duster forced the travellers to pull off the highway and wait.
The duster of 1935 buried entire farmhouses under metres of dry soil.
Lars had never seen a duster before he moved to the Australian outback.
An enormous duster turned the afternoon sky a strange, deep orange.
- dust storm
the standard, formal term used worldwide
- sandstorm
specifically carries sand rather than fine dust; common in desert regions
- haboob
technical term of Arabic origin; used for intense dust storms in arid regions
用法筆記
Primarily an American regional term, strongly associated with the 1930s Dust Bowl in the Great Plains.