duster
duster — noun
- dustersingular
- dustersplural
1. a soft piece of cloth you use to wipe dust off furniture, shelves, and other sur
a soft piece of cloth you use to wipe dust off furniture, shelves, and other surfaces around the house
Maja grabbed a soft duster and wiped down every shelf in the living room.
collocation: soft duster
Gita fished the old yellow duster out of the cleaning cupboard and wiped the dusty mantelpiece.
Chidi ran a damp duster over the piano keys before his lesson.
Bilal wiped the breakfast table with a clean duster he had pulled from the drawer.
Apinya shook the duster out of the window to get rid of the grey powder.
- dust cloth
the most common everyday term for the same object
- rag
more general; a rag can be used for any cleaning task, not just dusting
- cleaning cloth
a broader term that covers cloths for all types of cleaning
2. a cleaning tool made of a long handle with feathers or soft strips of cloth fast
a cleaning tool made of a long handle with feathers or soft strips of cloth fastened at one end; you sweep it over objects to collect dust without having to pick each item up
Rafael used a long feather duster to clean the ceiling fan blades.
collocation: feather duster
The shopkeeper flicked a bright pink duster over the glass bottles on display.
pattern: flick + duster + over [surface]
Hyun ran her hand over the ostrich-feather duster at the market stall, admiring how soft the plumes felt.
With one gentle sweep of the duster, Nadia left the old oak bookshelf spotless.
Trang tapped the duster against the balcony railing to shake loose the dirt.
- feather duster
the full, explicit name for this tool
- whisk
an old-fashioned term for a small hand-held duster, now rare
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (DUST CLOTH): a feather duster has a long handle and uses feathers or cloth strips to sweep dust off surfaces without wiping.
常見錯誤
3. a light, loose-fitting dress or robe that a woman wears around the house, often
a light, loose-fitting dress or robe that a woman wears around the house, often over her nightclothes or underwear
Rania answered the door in her blue duster, still holding a cup of coffee.
pattern: in [possessive] duster (describing what someone is wearing)
Grandmother always wore a floral duster while she pottered around the house.
Abigail slipped on a cotton duster over her nightgown before coming downstairs.
Aoi folded the laundry in her bright floral duster, chatting with her neighbour across the garden fence.
Mira stepped out of the shower, shook out her favourite pink duster, and wrapped it around herself before heading downstairs.
- housecoat
the standard modern term for the same garment
- robe
broader term; a robe can be a bathrobe or a formal gown, not just a casual housedress
- dressing gown
more commonly British English; similar but often heavier fabric
用法筆記
This sense is somewhat dated; modern speakers more often say 'housecoat' or 'robe'.
4. a long, lightweight coat that people originally wore to keep dust off their clot
a long, lightweight coat that people originally wore to keep dust off their clothes during travel; today it is also worn as a fashionable outer layer
Ritu wore a long beige duster over her jeans and boots at the outdoor market.
pattern: wear + duster + over [clothing]
The cowboy's canvas duster flapped behind him as he rode across the dry plain.
Lien pulled a lightweight black duster from the vintage shop rail and held it against herself in the mirror.
Piotr kept his long canvas duster over his clothes for the entire dusty drive from Lubbock to Amarillo.
Xiu stepped out in an elegant linen duster and sandals, turning heads as she crossed the courtyard.
用法筆記
Often associated with the American West and early motor travel. In modern fashion, a duster is any long, lightweight coat worn as a style piece.
5. a powerful windstorm that picks up large clouds of dust and sand from dry ground
a powerful windstorm that picks up large clouds of dust and sand from dry ground, turning the sky dark and making it hard to see or breathe
A fierce duster swept across the farmland, turning the afternoon sky dark orange.
collocation: fierce duster
The old farmer saw the duster coming and hurried to close all the barn doors.
Drivers pulled off the highway as the duster reduced visibility to a few metres.
After the duster passed, a thin layer of red sand covered every car in town.
Eli watched the western sky turn brown and knew a duster would roll over the town within the hour.
- dust storm
the standard, widely understood term worldwide
- sandstorm
similar but specifically carries sand rather than fine dust; common in desert regions
- haboob
a technical term for a very intense dust storm, used mainly in the Middle East and North Africa
用法筆記
Mainly used in American English, especially in the Great Plains and Southwest. The more common term is 'dust storm'; 'duster' is a regional shortening.