moth-eaten
/'mɔθ,i:tn/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Worn or damaged by moths: Describes fabric, clothing, or materials that have been partially eaten or damaged by moths, resulting in holes or a deteriorated appearance.
- Old-fashioned and no longer useful or relevant: Describes ideas, theories, or things that are outdated, stale, and lacking in originality or freshness.
Usage and Examples
Literal meaning (damaged by moths):
- She pulled a moth-eaten sweater from the back of the drawer.
- The antique store was filled with moth-eaten tapestries and rugs.
Figurative meaning (outdated):
- The professor's lectures were full of moth-eaten ideas that hadn't been updated in decades.
- They rejected the moth-eaten proposal in favor of a more modern approach.
Advanced Usage
- Used for emphasis: Can be used to strongly emphasize how old and useless something is.
- His arguments were so moth-eaten that no one in the debate took them seriously.
Variants and Related Words
- Mothballed (adj.): Refers to something (like equipment or a plan) that has been stored away and not used for a long time, but not necessarily damaged.
- Threadbare (adj.): Worn thin with age and use, often of fabric. It can share the figurative meaning of being overused and ineffective.
- His excuses were threadbare.
Synonyms
- Literal: holey, tattered, frayed.
- Figurative: outdated, antiquated, stale, clichéd, hackneyed.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- To be a moth-eaten idea/cliché: A common phrase to describe an idea that is no longer original or interesting.
- The "us versus them" mentality is a moth-eaten cliché in politics.
Adjective
- lacking originality or spontaneity; no longer new
- moth-eaten theories about race
- stale news
- worn or eaten away by (or as if by) moths
- moth-eaten blankets
- showing signs of wear and tear
- a ratty old overcoat
- shabby furniture
- an old house with dirty windows and tatty curtains