powder
/ˈpaʊdə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [pˈaʊdɚ] /ˈpaʊdər/ (ame, ipa) · [pˈaʊdɚ] /ˈpau̇-dər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈpaʊ.dər/ (bre, ipa) · [pˈaʊdɚ] /ˈpaʊ.dɚ/ (ame, ipa)
powder — noun
- powdersingular
- powdersplural
1. a dry substance made of tiny loose pieces, often produced by crushing something.
a dry substance made of tiny loose pieces, often produced by crushing something.
The cook ground dried mushrooms into powder for the soup.
grind something into powder
A fine brown powder covered the table after the box fell.
a fine powder
The lab stored the medicine as powder in small glass jars.
Farmers mix this powder with water before spraying the plants.
文法句型
grind something into powder
in powder form
a fine powder
用法筆記
Usually uncountable when you mean the substance in general, but countable when naming kinds such as washing powders or protein powders.
常見錯誤
2. a very soft powder that people dust onto the face or body for appearance or skin
a very soft powder that people dust onto the face or body for appearance or skin care.
Nina brushed powder across her nose before the school play.
powder across + body part
The nurse shook medicated powder onto the baby's red skin.
medicated powder
A round box of face powder rolled out of her bag.
Grandma keeps foot powder beside the bed in summer.
- face powder
more specific; only for the face, not general body or medical use
- talc
often used for body powder, especially baby or dusting powder
- dusting powder
a slightly more specific term for powder used on the skin
文法句型
face powder
foot powder
medicated powder
用法筆記
Mostly uncountable, especially for cosmetic use. Often named by purpose or body area, such as face powder, foot powder, or medicated powder.
常見錯誤
3. snow that stays light and dry after falling, before it turns wet.
snow that stays light and dry after falling, before it turns wet.
Fresh powder covered the ski path after the night storm.
fresh powder
The board sank deep into powder near the quiet trees.
deep into powder
We waited for more powder before opening the mountain run.
By noon, the soft powder had turned into wet snow.
- powder snow
a fuller expression with almost the same meaning
- dry snow
a plain descriptive phrase, less tied to skiing
- slush
wet half-melted snow
文法句型
deep powder
fresh powder
ski in powder
用法筆記
Common in skiing and snowboarding. Often appears with deep, fresh, or soft, and usually describes snow conditions rather than one small pile.
常見錯誤
4. an explosive powder, such as gunpowder, burned inside guns, bombs, or firework t
an explosive powder, such as gunpowder, burned inside guns, bombs, or firework tubes.
Workers kept the powder in a locked stone storehouse.
the powder
The old cannon cannot fire without dry powder.
dry powder
A trail of powder led to the fireworks shed.
Rain ruined the powder before the soldiers reached the hill.
- gunpowder
the most specific everyday term for this material
- blasting powder
used more for mining or demolition than for guns
- propellant
a more technical word for a material that drives something forward
文法句型
dry powder
powder store
powder trail
用法筆記
Usually historical or technical. Often refers to the explosive material in guns, fireworks, or blasting, not to an ordinary household powder.
常見錯誤
powder — verb
- powderpresent simple I / you / we / they
- powders3rd person singular
- powdering-ing form
- powderedpast simple
1. to dust someone's skin or another surface with powder, or to give it a light pow
to dust someone's skin or another surface with powder, or to give it a light powdery covering.
The makeup artist powdered Maya's face before the cameras started.
powder + person's face
Please powder the baby's neck after the bath.
powder + body part
Snow lightly powdered the dark road by sunrise.
The baker powdered the cake with sugar before serving.
- wipe off
remove the powder from the surface
文法句型
powder + body part
powder + object + with + substance
用法筆記
Object is usually skin, a body part, or a surface such as a cake. A with-phrase often names the substance added, as in powder the cake with sugar.
常見錯誤
2. to break a material down until it becomes powder.
to break a material down until it becomes powder.
The machine powders dried beans in a few seconds.
powder + material
Cooks powder the sugar before mixing the cream.
The cook powdered dried chilies with a stone bowl and spoon.
The mill powdered the chalk for the school art room.
- compact
press loose material together rather than break it apart
文法句型
powder + material
powder + object + for + use
用法筆記
Object must be the material being broken down, such as beans, sugar, chalk, or dried paint. Distinguish from verb 1, where the powder is put onto something instead.