[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

powder \pow"der\, n. oe. poudre, pouldre, f. poudre, of. also
   poldre, puldre, l. pulvis, pulveris: cf. pollen fine flour,
   mill dust, e. pollen. cf. polverine, pulverize.
   1. the fine particles to which any dry substance is reduced
      by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or into which it
      falls by decay; dust.
      1913 webster

            grind their bones to powder small.    --shak.
      1913 webster

   2. an explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.;
      gunpowder. see gunpowder.
      1913 webster

   atlas powder, baking powder, etc. see under atlas,
      baking, etc.

   powder down zool., the peculiar dust, or exfoliation, of
      powder-down feathers.

   powder-down feather zool., one of a peculiar kind of
      modified feathers which sometimes form patches on certain
      parts of some birds. they have a greasy texture and a
      scaly exfoliation.

   powder-down patch zool., a tuft or patch of powder-down
      feathers.

   powder hose, a tube of strong linen, about an inch in
      diameter, filled with powder and used in firing mines.
      --farrow.

   powder hoy naut., a vessel specially fitted to carry
      powder for the supply of war ships. they are usually
      painted red and carry a red flag.

   powder magazine, or powder room. see magazine, 2.

   powder mine, a mine exploded by gunpowder. see mine.

   powder monkey naut., a boy formerly employed on war
      vessels to carry powder; a powder boy.

   powder post. see dry rot, under dry.

   powder puff. see puff, n.
      1913 webster
see also:
polverine pulverize gunpowder atlas powder baking powder atlas 
baking powder down powder-down feather powder-down patch powder hose 
powder hoy powder magazine powder room magazine powder mine 
mine powder monkey powder post dry rot dry 
powder puff puff 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

dry \dry\ drimac, a. compar. drier; superl. driest.
   oe. druyoghe, druye, drie, as. dryge; akin to lg.
   dr"oge, d. droog, ohg. trucchan, g. trocken, icel. draugr a
   dry log. cf. drought, drouth, 3d drug.
   1. free from moisture; having little humidity or none; arid;
      not wet or moist; deficient in the natural or normal
      supply of moisture, as rain or fluid of any kind; -- said
      especially:
      a of the weather: free from rain or mist.
          1913 webster

                the weather, we agreed, was too dry for the
                season.                           --addison.
      b of vegetable matter: free from juices or sap; not
          succulent; not green; as, dry wood or hay.
      c of animals: not giving milk; as, the cow is dry.
      d of persons: thirsty; needing drink.
          1913 webster

                give the dry fool drink.          -- shak
      e of the eyes: not shedding tears.
          1913 webster

                not a dry eye was to be seen in the assembly. --
                                                  prescott.
      f med. of certain morbid conditions, in which there is
          entire or comparative absence of moisture; as, dry
          gangrene; dry catarrh.
          1913 webster

   2. destitute of that which interests or amuses; barren;
      unembellished; jejune; plain.
      1913 webster

            these epistles will become less dry, more
            susceptible of ornament.              --pope.
      1913 webster

   3. characterized by a quality somewhat severe, grave, or
      hard; hence, sharp; keen; shrewd; quaint; as, a dry tone
      or manner; dry wit.
      1913 webster

            he was rather a dry, shrewd kind of body. --w.
                                                  irving.
      1913 webster

   4. fine arts exhibiting a sharp, frigid preciseness of
      execution, or the want of a delicate contour in form, and
      of easy transition in coloring.
      1913 webster

   dry area arch., a small open space reserved outside the
      foundation of a building to guard it from damp.

   dry blow.
      a med. a blow which inflicts no wound, and causes no
          effusion of blood.
      b a quick, sharp blow.

   dry bone min., smithsonite, or carbonate of zinc; -- a
      miner's term.

   dry castor zool. a kind of beaver; -- called also
      parchment beaver.

   dry cupping. med. see under cupping.

   dry dock. see under dock.

   dry fat. see dry vat below.

   dry light, pure unobstructed light; hence, a clear,
      impartial view. --bacon.
      1913 webster

            the scientific man must keep his feelings under
            stern control, lest they obtrude into his
            researches, and color the dry light in which alone
            science desires to see its objects.   -- j. c.
                                                  shairp.

   dry masonry. see masonry.

   dry measure, a system of measures of volume for dry or
      coarse articles, by the bushel, peck, etc.

   dry pile physics, a form of the voltaic pile, constructed
      without the use of a liquid, affording a feeble current,
      and chiefly useful in the construction of electroscopes of
      great delicacy; -- called also zamboni's, from the names
      of the two earliest constructors of it.

   dry pipe steam engine, a pipe which conducts dry steam
      from a boiler.

   dry plate photog., a glass plate having a dry coating
      sensitive to light, upon which photographic negatives or
      pictures can be made, without moistening.

   dry-plate process, the process of photographing with dry
      plates.

   dry point. fine arts
      a an engraving made with the needle instead of the
          burin, in which the work is done nearly as in etching,
          but is finished without the use acid.
      b a print from such an engraving, usually upon paper.
      c hence: the needle with which such an engraving is
          made.

   dry rent eng. law, a rent reserved by deed, without a
      clause of distress. --bouvier.

   dry rot, a decay of timber, reducing its fibers to the
      condition of a dry powdery dust, often accompanied by the
      presence of a peculiar fungus merulius lacrymans,
      which is sometimes considered the cause of the decay; but
      it is more probable that the real cause is the
      decomposition of the wood itself. --d. c. eaton. called
      also sap rot, and, in the united states, powder post.
      --hebert.

   dry stove, a hothouse adapted to preserving the plants of
      arid climates. --brande  c.

   dry vat, a vat, basket, or other receptacle for dry
      articles.

   dry wine, that in which the saccharine matter and
      fermentation were so exactly balanced, that they have
      wholly neutralized each other, and no sweetness is
      perceptible; -- opposed to sweet wine, in which the
      saccharine matter is in excess.
      1913 webster
see also:
drier driest drought drouth drug dry area 
dry blow dry bone dry castor parchment beaver dry cupping 
cupping dry dock dock dry fat dry vat 
dry light dry masonry masonry dry measure dry pile 
zamboni's dry pipe dry plate dry-plate process dry point 
dry rent dry rot merulius lacrymans sap rot powder post 
dry stove dry wine sweet wine 

Baby Powder >> B Words
Baby Powder, definition of term: Baby Powder
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Binding Post >> B Words
Binding Post, definition of term: Binding Post
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Baking Powder >> B Words
Baking Powder, definition of term: Baking Powder
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Ex Post Facto >> E Words
Ex Post Facto, definition of term: Ex Post Facto
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Ex Post Facto L >> E Words
Ex Post Facto L, definition of term: Ex Post Facto L
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