Pudder

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A noisy fuss, bustle, or state of agitated confusion ; a thick, choking cloud of dust, smoke, or fine particles
2. A flurry of commotion or bother caused by excitement or worry ; a suffocating mass of dust or smoke hanging in the air
3. An agitated disturbance or commotion among people ; a dense, stifling cloud of dust or smoke that obscures the view

Etymology: "Pudder" is an old variant of "pother," a word that has long meant a commotion, a fuss, or a choking cloud of dust or smoke. The two words share the same sense and the same bustle: to pudder is to make a fuss or stir things up, and a pudder is the ruckus that results. Their closeness is the main thing to know about "pudder," since the source points readers straight to "pother" for comparison. The spelling "pudder" belongs to the same family of forms as "pother," which is why the two are best read together. Neither word is a modern coinage, and both are used in English to describe a hubbub that has been stirred up, whether by people, weather, or dust rising from a road.

Synonyms: pother, fuss, commotion, bustle, flounder

Antonyms: calm, composure, peace