The farther, the less our language becomes poetic. Therefore, some words are forgotten, they just go out of active circulation. No, no, but a question will flash: “What is dust?”. We’ll find out today. As always, we will reveal the meaning of a word, its synonyms, as well as phraseological unit in which a noun is used.
Value
Dust is not the most life-affirming word in the world. When it comes to it, one immediately recalls the cemetery, crematoriums and columbarium (the place where the remains after cremation are stored). But do not fall into despair ahead of time, because while we are alive and can find out what is dust?
There are actually three meanings of the word:
- Powder. But just do not think that it is a washing powder, but rather coarse dust or crushed stone. At the moment, the option is considered obsolete.
- Speaking in high style, “dust” means just human remains or dust.
- Dust is called nothing worth it. For example, money. In general, people quite often talk about how little money costs. Apparently, the situation is exactly the opposite. This is such an auto-training.
By the way, if someone remembers better by association, then we recommend reading the novel by Evelyn Waugh, “A Fistful of Dust”. We think that in the title two meanings are immediately presented - the second and the third. Although the metaphor is so deep that anyone can, if desired, subtract any meaning from the novel.
Synonyms
Naturally, when we ask ourselves or the other: “What is dust?”, Then similar words can help us out. Here they are:
- dead body;
- remains;
- dust;
- ashes.
As it has already become clear, all these synonyms are partial, so be careful when replacing one with another.
Phraseologism
Next in turn is the consideration of a stable phrase “to smash to smithereens”, we will find out the meaning of phraseology in the process, first its meaning. This is what they say, if they mean the adverbs “perfectly”, “finally”, “exclusively”. As a rule, phraseologism speaks of negative consequences. For example, "The head smashed my thesis to the smithereens." This stable phrase rescues from hopelessly dark tones that the verb "to carry" is not its permanent member. Verbs can be different, for example: “lose”, “dress up”. And when it comes to a spectacular wardrobe, then there is no negative sense, at least permanent.
Another thing is more interesting: why to pieces. Of course, we remember what dust is. Fluff is also quite volatile material. Perhaps it was on this basis that they were united in one expression. When, for example, they talk about something of little value, they resort to the metaphor of sand. "Time passes through your fingers like sand." On the one hand, the phrase captures the transience of time, and on the other hand, the fact that precious time is wasted.
Perhaps, with the phraseologism “to smash to smithereens” the same story. Imagine there was a printed graduation thesis, but after the head of the leader rebuked it turned into dust, that is, it stopped costing something. This is a version only. Maybe there is a less poetic and more prosaic explanation? Everything is possible.
The meaning of the word “dust” was not hidden from us. We overtook him and interrogated. Then, of course, they were released into the wild, because it is so beautiful, let it please the rest!