Definition

1. 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.

2. 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

1. material used to provide a bed for animals
2. conveyance consisting of a chair or bed carried on two poles by bearers
3. rubbish carelessly dropped or left about (especially in public places)
4. the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal

Verb

1. give birth to a litter of animals
2. make a place messy by strewing garbage around
3. strew
   • Cigar butts littered the ground