undust

English

Etymology

From un- +‎ dust.

Verb

undust (third-person singular simple present undusts, present participle undusting, simple past and past participle undusted)

1. (transitive, rare) To remove dust from (something); to dust, dust off.

   Synonym: dedust

   • 1987, Robert C. Kriebel, Plain Ol' Charlie Deam: Pioneer Hoosier Botanist - Page 70:

     It took the state accountants awhile to undust [cq] and figure out his travel expense claims. They would include maybe a pound of coffee, a dozen eggs, a package of cereal, etc. No hotel bills.

   • 1998, Irvin D. Yalom, The Yalom Reader:

     Those members of a couple who had been the audience to a spouse who had been the “appreciator” (of art, music, natural beauty) had to undust and unpack long-unused sensory organs. This new sense of self, exhilarating as it was, also carries a bittersweet tinge for most members.

   • 2011, M.A. Lyons, Ph.D. & Franklyn Grace Lyons, War Scribe: First Reports Out: Europe Post V-E Day:

     With the light at the end of the tunnel now visible, my daughters chose to undust a manuscript of their grandfather's, his son John, which was written in 1971.

   • 2011, Linda Jean, Izzy's Summer - Page 144:

     My momma even said I didn't have to undust her knickknacks every week. I only had to do it twice a month now. I figured that was about twenty-eight weeks a year that I didn't have to do that chore, and that seemed like a good deal to me.

   • 2013, George Saunders, Pastoralia - Page 82:

     She gave the green top a snap to undust it and discipline it and, putting the strip of molding and the dirty sock on the step, changed tops right then and there, picked up the molding, threw the dirty sock over her shoulder, and pounded back down the stairs.

   • 2018 September 9, Christopher Clarey, quoting Marián Vajda, “Novak Djokovic Wins the U.S. Open for His 14th Grand Slam Title”, in The New York Times‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-03-07:

     Vajda has noticed a change, too. He sees Djokovic playing like a champion again. "It's like you undust all the trophies on the shelf, and it comes out of him," Vajda said.

See also

• undusted

 

References

• “undust, v.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• “undust”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• tuduns