powdering

powdering — verb

1. to put a fine, dry cosmetic powder onto your face or another part of your skin,

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to put a fine, dry cosmetic powder onto your face or another part of your skin, especially to reduce shine or to set makeup.

例句

After applying foundation, Élise gently powdered her nose and cheeks with a soft brush.

powder + nose / cheeks — cosmetic application pattern

The makeup artist quickly powdered the model's forehead before the photo shoot began.

powder + person's body part in a beauty context

同義詞
  • dust

    more general — can apply any fine substance (flour, sugar, powder) to a surface

  • sprinkle

    implies scattering small particles, often used with food or cooking contexts

文法句型

powder + object (face/nose/cheeks)

powder + oneself/yourself

用法筆記

Commonly used with body parts (nose, face, cheeks, forehead) or reflexively (powder oneself). In modern English, the sense is closely tied to cosmetic or baby-powder contexts.

常見錯誤

❌She powdered rice on her face.
✅She dusted rice powder on her face.
💡'powder' as a verb means to apply cosmetic powder, not any powdered substance onto the body.
❌He powdered the sugar on the cake.
✅He dusted the sugar on the cake.
💡For food, use 'dust' or 'sprinkle' instead of 'powder'.

2. to break a solid material into very fine particles, or for a solid material to b

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to break a solid material into very fine particles, or for a solid material to break apart into such particles — for example, crushing dried herbs into a fine dust or grinding dried clay until it falls apart.

例句

The pharmacist powdered the dried roots with a mortar and pestle for the herbal medicine.

transitive: powder + object with a tool

Old chalk left in the sun will eventually powder and blow away.

intransitive: something powders (becomes powder) naturally

同義詞
  • grind

    stronger emphasis on friction and mechanical reduction; more common for coffee, spices, grains

  • crush

    implies applying pressure to break something; the result may not be as fine as powder

  • pulverize

    more formal and intensive; suggests reducing to dust completely

文法句型

powder + object (substance/material)

something powders (intransitive — becomes powder)

用法筆記

The intransitive sense (something powders naturally) is less common and typically describes gradual deterioration rather than intentional crushing. The transitive sense usually involves deliberate action using tools such as a mortar, grinder, or mill.

常見錯誤

❌I powdered the coffee beans for my espresso.
✅I ground the coffee beans for my espresso.
💡'Grind' is the standard verb for coffee; 'powder' sounds unnatural.
❌The crackers powdered in my bag.
✅The crackers crumbled in my bag.
💡'Powder' implies becoming a fine dust, not just breaking into pieces.