litter
/'litə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- Waste material: A collection of waste items, such as paper, cans, and bottles, that have been thrown away carelessly in a public place.
- Group of young animals: All the young animals born to one mother at a single time.
- Bedding material: A substance, such as straw or absorbent granules, used to line the area where an animal, especially a pet, sleeps and relieves itself.
- Historical vehicle: A vehicle or seat, often a couch or bed enclosed by curtains, carried on poles by people or animals.
Verb:
- To scatter waste: To make an area untidy by leaving waste items scattered about.
- To give birth (animals): (Used of animals) To give birth to a litter of young.
- To cover untidily: To be scattered over a surface in an untidy way.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- Please do not leave any litter in the park. (Waste material)
- The cat gave birth to a litter of six kittens. (Group of young animals)
- I need to change the cat's litter in its box. (Bedding material)
- In ancient Rome, important people were carried in a litter. (Historical vehicle)
Verb:
- People who litter the streets should be fined. (To scatter waste)
- Our dog littered last week. (To give birth)
- The desk was littered with papers and books. (To cover untidily)
Advanced Usage
- "To litter something with something": To cover or fill a place with many things in a disordered way.
- The report was littered with spelling errors.
- "Litter-bearer": A person who helps carry a litter (vehicle).
- The wounded soldier was transported by litter-bearers.
Variants and Related Words
- Litterbug (n): A person who litters public places.
- Don't be a litterbug; use the trash can.
- Littered (adj): Covered with scattered rubbish or objects.
- The littered beach was an ugly sight.
Synonyms
- Noun (waste): trash, garbage, refuse, debris.
- Noun (group of young): brood.
- Verb (scatter waste): clutter, mess up.
Related Phrasal Verbs
(This word does not commonly form phrasal verbs.)
Related Idioms
- "To pick up litter": To collect and remove litter from an area.
- Volunteers gathered to pick up litter along the riverbank.
Noun
- material used to provide a bed for animals
- conveyance consisting of a chair or bed carried on two poles by bearers
- rubbish carelessly dropped or left about (especially in public places)
- the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal
Verb
- give birth to a litter of animals
- make a place messy by strewing garbage around
- strew
- Cigar butts littered the ground