powder (redirected from powders)

Could I use your powder room? and Can I use your powder room?; May I use your powder room?; Where is your powder room?

Euph. a polite way to ask to use the bathroom in someone's home. (Alludes to a woman powdering her nose. Sometimes used jocularly by men. See also powder one's nose.) Mary: Oh, Sally, could I use your powder room? Sally: Of course. It's just off the kitchen, on the left. Tom: Nice place you've got here. Uh, where is your powder room? Beth: At the top of the stairs.

See also: could, use

powder one's nose and powder one's face

to depart to the bathroom. (Usually said by women, or jocularly by men.) Excuse me, I have to powder my nose. She just went out to powder her face.

See also: nose

powder up

Sl. to drink heavily; to get drunk. Let's go out and powder up. He's at the tavern powdering up.

See also: up

Put your trust in God, and keep your powder dry. and Keep your powder dry.

Prov. Have faith that God will make sure that you win a conflict, but be prepared to fight well and vigorously. (Supposed to have been said by Oliver Cromwell; powder means gunpowder.) Bill: Am I going to win my lawsuit? Alan: All you can do is put your trust in God, and keep your powder dry.

See also: and, dry, keep, put, trust

sitting on a powder keg

Fig. in a risky or explosive situation; in a situation where something serious or dangerous may happen at any time. (A powder keg is a keg of gunpowder.) Things are very tense at work. The whole office is sitting on a powder keg. The fire at the oilfield seems to be under control for now, but all the workers there are sitting on a powder keg.

See also: keg, sitting

take a powder

Sl. to leave; to leave town. (Underworld.) Why don't you take a powder? Go on! Beat it! Willie took a powder and will lie low for a while.

See also: take

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a powder keg

a situation that could suddenly become extremely dangerous

Usage notes: A powder keg was a wooden container for gunpowder (= a substance used for making explosions).

We left just before the revolution, realizing that we were sitting on a powder keg.

See also: keg

keep your powder dry

to be ready to take action if necessary All you have to do is keep your powder dry and await orders.

See also: dry, keep

powder your nose  (humorous)

if a woman says she is going to powder her nose, she means she is going to go to the toilet Well, if you'll excuse me a moment, I'm going to powder my nose.

See also: nose

take a powder  (American informal)

to leave a place suddenly, especially in order to avoid an unpleasant situation He saw the police coming and took a powder.

See keep powder dry

See also: take

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keep your powder dry

to be ready to do something if necessary We're not ready to start buying yet. We'll keep our powder dry until we think prices are as low as they'll go.

Etymology: from the idea that gunpowder (an explosive substance in the form of a powder) will not explode if it is wet

See also: dry, keep

powder your nose (spoken)

to use a public toilet “I'm going to powder my nose,” Vera said, following Elise out of the room.

Usage notes: usually said by women

See also: nose