# Take a powder **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-a-powder/493576 "2009-04-18T22:04:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-a-powder/493576/1 "2009-04-18T22:04:15Z")
What is the origin of ‘Take a powder.’? Does it have to do with women applying make-up? That is, ‘Let’s excuse ourselves from this situation. We’ll be right back.’? Or is it, ‘Oh, go powder your nose, you girl!’ or ‘Will you please excuse us? Perhaps you can go powder your nose.’? Or does it have to do with taking powdered medicine? (Though that doesn’t make as much sense to me as the make-up origin.) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-a-powder/493576/2 "2009-04-18T22:34:47Z")
The status of the unknown origin as of 2001. > **[Penguin Random House](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/)** > > Committed to publishing great books, connecting readers and authors globally, and spreading the love of reading. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-a-powder/493576/3 "2009-04-19T08:32:21Z")
Hmmm… I always assumed it was to do with the fact that medicines such as asprin etc used to come as a powder rather than as a tablet. So if you wanted to excuse yourself from a situation you could say you need to take a powder (ie I have a headache and need a lie down) even if you didn’t need to.