Dust off Definition 1 of 3Pro Tip 1/3Literal Cleaning Used when someone actually gets rid of dust on an object or surface. Every Saturday, I dust off my collection of vinyl records. Pro Tip 2/3Not Just Dust Can be used for light cleaning, not just removing dust. Please dust off the picnic table before we put the food on it. Pro Tip 3/3Figurative Use Sometimes means prepare or refresh something, not literally clean. I need to dust off my driving skills before the road trip.