dry powder
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
The financial sense comes by metaphor from the gunpowder sense.
Noun[edit]
dry powder (countable and uncountable, plural dry powders)
- A powder found in a fire extinguisher that is expelled to smother the fire (in contrast with liquid types of extinguisher).
- A powder found in an inhaler that delivers a bronchodilator for antiasthmatic or antiemphysemic purposes (indications).
- (finance) Cash (or cash-like securities) kept in reserve in case of need.
- Private equity firms were sitting on more than $1 trillion in dry powder at the end of 2011.
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see dry, powder; especially, gunpowder kept dry to keep it from spoiling before use.
Derived terms[edit]
Related terms[edit]
- (stay prepared; maintain reserves): keep one's powder dry
Translations[edit]
powder from a fire extinguisher
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