dust down

present singular third person dusts down · participle present dusting down · participle past dusted down · past dusted down

1. alternativeAlternative form of dust off.

   These preparations are being dusted down and refreshed and will continue to stand their owners in good stead in November.

   2019 October, Rail Freight Group, “Consequences of a no deal Brexit”, in Modern Railways, page 20

   1 more example

   Hood explains: "It's never a case of just taking these units and dusting them down. Because they had been in storage, they had not undertaken their time-based overhaul, which had been due. They had also not undertaken their mileage-based overhaul, which was also due for all the sets. That caused a bit of a headache when it came to recommissioning them."

   2025 August 6, Richard Wilcock, “Old units... new lease of life”, in RAIL, number 1041, page 31

2. slangTo demean or verbally assault; to dress down.
3. slangTo clean (someone) off who has fallen.

   He was on the ground, so I helped him up, dusted him down and brought him home.