dusty
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A phrase used in answering a question where one expects approbation. "What do you think of this?" "Well, it’s not so DUSTY," i.e., not so bad; sometimes varied to "none so DUSTY."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “dusty” mean?
A phrase used in answering a question where one expects approbation. "What do you think of this?" "Well, it’s not so DUSTY," i.e., not so bad; sometimes varied to "none so DUSTY."
Is “dusty” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.