Small particles of matter found on the ground, out of which man was formed, to whom it was said, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Genesis 2:7; Genesis 3:19 . "The first man is of the earth, earthy." 1 Corinthians 15:47 . It is used as a symbol of weakness: "he remembereth that we are dust." Psalm 103:14 . To 'lick the dust' is figurative of defeat. Psalm 72:9 . To 'cast dust upon the head' was a sign of grief. Ezekiel 27:30; Revelation 18:19 . To 'shake the dust off the feet' on leaving a city where the servants of Christ had been rejected, was leaving them to judgement: not even the dust of their city should be presented before the messengers' Master. Matthew 10:14; Acts 13:51 . Similarly dust was cast or shaken into the air by men in great indignation. Acts 22:23 .