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.
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Grind their bones to powder small. --Shak.
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2. An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.;
gunpowder. See Gunpowder.
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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.
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Atlas \At"las\, n.; pl. Atlases. [L. Atlas, -antis, Gr. ?, ?,
one of the older family of gods, who bears up the pillars of
heaven; also Mt. Atlas, in W. Africa, regarded as the pillar
of heaven. It is from the root of tlh^nai to bear. See
Tolerate.]
1. One who sustains a great burden.
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2. (Anat.) The first vertebra of the neck, articulating
immediately with the skull, thus sustaining the globe of
the head, whence the name.
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3. A collection of maps in a volume;
Note: supposed to be so called from a picture of Atlas
supporting the world, prefixed to some collections.
This name is said to have been first used by Mercator,
the celebrated geographer, in the 16th century.
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4. A volume of plates illustrating any subject.
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5. A work in which subjects are exhibited in a tabular from
or arrangement; as, an historical atlas.
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6. A large, square folio, resembling a volume of maps; --
called also atlas folio.
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7. A drawing paper of large size. See under Paper, n.
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Atlas powder, see Atlas powder in the vocabulary; a
blasting compound containing nitroglycerin.
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