moth-ball

The old winter coats were put away with moth-balls.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small, white, spherical object made of a chemical substance (typically naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene) used to protect woolen clothing and other fabrics from moths and their larvae. Mothballs emit a strong, distinctive odor and are placed in storage containers, closets, or drawers.
   • Figurative use: "mothball" can also refer to a state of disuse or storage, often in the plural form "in mothballs."

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She placed a few mothballs in the box of winter sweaters to prevent moth damage. (A chemical repellent for fabric pests.)
  • The old battleship has been kept in mothballs for decades. (Figurative: stored and preserved but not in active use.)

Advanced Usage

• "in mothballs": a phrase meaning something is stored away, inactive, or preserved for potential future use.
  • The government placed the naval base in mothballs after the war ended. (The base was closed and maintained in a state of readiness.)
  • My grandmother's antique dresser has been in mothballs in the attic for years. (Stored away and unused.)

Variants and Related Words

• Mothballed (adj): placed in a state of disuse or preservation; inactive.
  • The factory was mothballed during the economic downturn. (The factory was closed and kept ready for possible reopening.)
• Mothballing (n/adj): the act of putting something into storage or a state of inactivity.
  • Mothballing the aircraft fleet saved the company millions in maintenance costs. (The process of preserving equipment for later use.)

Synonyms

• Camphor ball: a similar substance used as a repellent (though camphor is a different chemical).
• Preservative: a substance that prevents decay (in a broader sense).
• Repellent: a substance that drives away pests.

Related Idioms

• "Out of mothballs": brought back into use after a period of inactivity.

  • The old locomotive was taken out of mothballs for the anniversary parade. (Reactivated after being stored.)

• "Put into mothballs": to set aside or discontinue something indefinitely.

  • The project was put into mothballs due to lack of funding. (Suspended or abandoned.)