angel dust
angel dust
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "angel dust" is /ˈeɪn.dʒəl dʌst/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
an-gel:
/eɪ/ - as in "say"
/n/ - as in "no"
/dʒ/ - as in "jam"
/əl/ - as in "medal" (a schwa /ə/ followed by /l/)
dust:
/d/ - as in "dog"
/ʌ/ - as in "cup"
/s/ - as in "sun"
/t/ - as in "top"
Word Form Variations
The term "angel dust" is primarily used as a mass noun (uncountable noun), referring to the substance itself. Therefore, it does not typically have plural forms.
Singular: angel dust (most common)
Plural: N/A (though in very rare, informal contexts, one might hear "angel dusts" to refer to different types or batches, this is not standard usage).
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A potent, illicit dissociative drug, chemically known as phencyclidine (PCP), typically appearing as a white crystalline powder. It can be snorted, smoked (often sprinkled on tobacco or marijuana), or ingested, producing a range of effects including hallucinations, euphoria, agitation, and a sense of detachment from reality.
Synonyms: PCP, phencyclidine, hog, peace pill, supergrass, K
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it refers to a specific substance. One could consider "sobriety" or "clarity" as conceptual antonyms to the effects of the drug.)
Examples of Use
Newspaper: "The city's rapid response team reported a significant increase in emergency room visits linked to angel dust intoxication last month, prompting a public health advisory." (Local News Daily, May 2024)
Online Publication (Health/Science): "Researchers are exploring the long-term neurological effects of angel dust abuse, particularly its impact on cognitive function and mental health." (Neuroscience Today, January 2023)
Book (Fiction): "He'd seen enough of the city's underbelly to know the glazed-over eyes of an angel dust user when he saw them, a chilling vacancy that spoke of a mind utterly adrift."
Book (Non-fiction/Memoir): "My brother's descent into drug addiction began with casual experimentation, but it was the angel dust that truly twisted his perception of reality."
Film: In the film Training Day (2001), there is a notable scene where the character Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington) forces Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) to smoke what is implied to be PCP, often referred to as angel dust in drug culture.
Television Series: An episode of the crime drama Law & Order: SVU (Season 5, "Ritual," October 2003) involved a perpetrator under the influence of PCP, referred to as angel dust, leading to erratic and violent behavior.
Song Lyric: From the song "Angel Dust" by Gil Scott-Heron: "Angel dust, angel dust / You're playing with fire when you're messing with us."
General Public Discourse (Social Media Comment): "Another news story about someone acting erratically, probably on angel dust or something similar. When will they get this stuff off the streets?" (X, formerly Twitter, March 2024)
General Public Discourse (Podcast Discussion): "We're talking about the 1970s drug culture today, and of course, you can't discuss that era without bringing up the prevalence of angel dust." (True Crime Podcast, July 2025)
10 Famous Quotes Using Angel Dust
"It wasn't as if crack was getting great press in the South Bronx in 1999, but it took a particular kind of idiot to wake up one day and say, 'Angel dust is a product I've heard nothing but good about, and it's about time I was involved." (Edward Conlon, Blue Blood, 2004)
"When we were doing the 'Angel Dust' thing we got information from the National Institute of Drug Abuse because we knew that if we went out and said something about angel dust people were going to ask questions about it and we wanted to be sure we had all the information to deal with it when those questions came up." (Gil Scott-Heron)
"You never smoke angel dust before?" (Denzel Washington as Alonzo Harris in Training Day, 2001)
"Angel dust, angel dust / You're playing with fire when you're messing with us." (Gil Scott-Heron, "Angel Dust" song lyric)
"Trey Spruance didn't want to tour for ages. And Dean Menta has always been our guitar-roadie during Angel Dust, and I remember him playing fantastically during soundchecks." (Mike Patton, Nieuwe Revu Magazine, May 1995)
"The erratic and often violent behavior associated with angel dust was a major concern for law enforcement throughout the 1970s and 80s."
"Even a small dose of angel dust can lead to severe disorientation and a complete loss of touch with reality."
"They tried to tell me it was just weed, but I knew the glazed look in his eyes; it had to be angel dust."
"The documentary explored the devastating impact angel dust had on communities struggling with widespread addiction."
"Stories of bizarre incidents fueled by angel dust became urban legends in many neighborhoods, painting a grim picture of the drug's effects."
Etymology
The term "angel dust" is a slang name for the drug phencyclidine, more commonly known as PCP.
Its etymology is quite straightforward: it's a compound word formed from "angel" and "dust." The "dust" part refers to its common form as a white crystalline powder. The "angel" part likely comes from the initial, often misleading, euphoric or "heavenly" feelings some users experience, or perhaps the perceived "lightness" or detachment from reality. However, these initial feelings often give way to very unpleasant and dangerous effects, making the "angel" part ironic.
The first known use of the noun "angel dust" referring to the drug is relatively recent, appearing in the 1960s. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) notes its earliest evidence from 1969, specifically in Rolling Stone magazine. While the chemical compound PCP was developed as an anesthetic in the 1950s, it began to be used recreationally on the streets in the 1960s, which is when the slang term "angel dust" emerged to describe it.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Angel Dust
Phrases & Slang (Directly using or derived from "angel dust" or its effects):
On angel dust: Under the influence of PCP.
Example: "He was acting completely irrationally, like he was on angel dust."
Dusted: A slang term for being under the influence of PCP/angel dust.
Example: "The suspect was completely dusted when the officers arrived."
Smoking angel dust: Referring to the act of inhaling PCP, often by sprinkling it on tobacco or marijuana.
Example: "The police found evidence of him smoking angel dust in the abandoned building."
Angel dust psychosis: A severe mental state induced by the drug, characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and violent behavior.
Example: "His violent outburst was attributed to angel dust psychosis."
Hit with angel dust: To be affected by the drug, implying a sudden and strong onset of its effects.
Example: "After taking the unknown substance, he felt like he'd been hit with angel dust."
Idioms/Phrases with Synonyms for Similar Effect (related to altered states, wild behavior):
Out of one's mind (on something): To be behaving in an extremely irrational or crazy way due to drug use (often implies something like PCP).
Example: "He was screaming at the walls, completely out of his mind."
Flying high (on something): To be experiencing intense euphoria or hallucinations from drug use. While not exclusive to PCP, it can describe a dissociative high.
Example: "After that last hit, he was flying high for hours."
Tripping out: To be experiencing hallucinations or a distorted perception of reality due to a psychedelic or dissociative drug.
Example: "She was just sitting there staring, totally tripping out."
Lost in the sauce: (Slang, can imply heavy intoxication, including from dissociatives) To be profoundly impaired or disoriented.
Example: "He was so lost in the sauce he didn't even recognize his own friends."
Zoned out: While not always drug-related, it can describe the detached, unresponsive state characteristic of someone under the influence of dissociative drugs like angel dust.
Example: "He wasn't responding to anything, just staring blankly, completely zoned out."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of angel dust from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
