powder
part of speech
noun (powder, powders); verb (powder, powders, powdered, powdering)
meaning for a pupil
1) A dry substance made of very tiny pieces, like flour, dust or crushed chalk. tree →
2) A special powder used for a job: «washing powder», «baby powder», «talcum powder». tree →
3) (verb) To put powder on something. tree →
4) Fresh, light, dry snow (skiers' word). tree →
5) Gunpowder (old use). tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Moses made the people drink the powdered calf, as a sign that the idol was worth nothing. Grinding idols to powder is a way of showing they have no power. In the primary lessons: In science, solids can be ground into powder; powders can be poured like liquids but are still solids; powder dissolves faster than lumps. In everyday life: washing powder, cocoa powder, baking powder. Safety: unknown powders must not be tasted or sniffed; washing powder is poisonous. Phrases: «baking powder», «washing powder», «powdered milk», «keep your powder dry».
examples
- The LORD will make the rain of thy land powder and dust; from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. (Torah DEU.28.24, JPS 1917) tree →
- And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. (Torah EXO.32.20, JPS 1917) tree →
- Who is this that cometh up out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? (Writings SNG.3.6, JPS 1917) tree →
- And he broke down the altars, and beat the Asherim and the graven images into powder, and hewed down all the sun-images throughout all the land of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem. (Writings 2CH.34.7, JPS 1917) tree →
- Grind the chalk into a fine powder. tree →
- Mum added baking powder to the cake mix. tree →
- Washing powder is poisonous; don't touch it. tree →
- Sugar powder dissolves faster than sugar cubes. tree →
- Fresh powder is great for skiing. tree →
- The baby smelled of baby powder. tree →
- Never taste a powder you don't know. tree →
- Abandoning the fight he rushed into the powder magazine and fired it. tree →
note
Mostly uncountable: «some powder»; countable for kinds: «different powders». Adjective: powdery, powdered. A powder is a solid, even though it can be poured.
In the corpora
- Trick birthday candles have a metal powder, magnesium, in the wick that catches fire again from the glowing wick.
- Fire extinguishers use water, foam, powder or carbon dioxide; the coloured band shows which fires each one is for.
- In a hand-warmer pack the iron is a fine powder, so it rusts fast enough for you to feel the warmth.
- Sour tastes come from acids; lemons contain citric acid, and sour sweets are dusted with acid powder that stings the tongue.
- Cakes rise with baking powder or whisked eggs instead.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «powder» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.