The Collaborative International Dictionary
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.]
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The fine particles to which any dry substance is reduced by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or into which it falls by decay; dust.
Grind their bones to powder small.
--Shak. -
An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.; gunpowder. See Gunpowder.
Atlas powder, Baking powder, etc. See under Atlas, Baking, etc.
Powder down (Zo["o]l.), the peculiar dust, or exfoliation, of powder-down feathers.
Powder-down feather (Zo["o]l.), 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 (Zo["o]l.), 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.
Wiktionary
n. A special type of down that occurs in a few groups of apparently unrelated birds. In some species, the tips of the barbules on the feathers disintegrate, forming fine particles of keratin; in others, powder grains come from cells that surround the barbules of growing feathers.
Usage examples of "powder down".
He then pulled one of the cartouches from his bandoleer and poured this powder down the barrel of his musket.
They poured the remainder of their cartridges' powder down their musket barrels, stuffed the cartridge paper after the powder, then took the balls from their mouths and pushed them into the muzzles.
When every lingering scrap of fire had been extinguished inside the barrel they would thrust home the powder bags, then the six-inch shell with its carefully cut fuse protruding from the wooden bung, and the gunner would ram a spike down the touchhole to pierce a canvas powder bag and afterward push a reed filled with more powder down into the punctured bag.
Prime the pan, close it, pour the cartridge powder down the smoking barrel, then ram in the cartridge's paper and the ball.
He did this well away from the tiny candle fire, tamping the powder down with his fingers and muttering to himself as he worked.
He did this well away from the tiny candle-fire, tamping the powder down with his fingers and muttering to himself as he worked.
Hines brought the paper cartridge from the box to his mouth, bit off the end, poured the powder down the muzzle of his piece, and put the Mini6 ball in the muzzle.
Another splatgun fired, chewing into the stationary Brigaderos as they frantically bit open cartridges and dumped the powder down the barrels of their rifles.
He bit off a bullet, poured the gritty powder down the hot barrel, then spat the bullet into the muzzle with powder-blackened lips.
The man was the left flanker of the front rank, a small man, and he had bitten off his cartridge and was pouring the powder down the muzzle of his musket.
Pour the powder down the barrel but remember to keep a pinch for the priming.