throwaway
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Intended to be discarded after a single or brief use: Describes items designed for temporary use and subsequent disposal.
- Discarded or cast off: Refers to something that has been or is in the process of being thrown away.
Noun:
- A remark made casually or with deliberate lack of emphasis: Words spoken in an offhand manner, often to seem less important or serious.
- An advertisement intended for wide distribution: A printed notice, such as a leaflet or flyer, distributed to many people.
- (Sometimes offensive) A homeless, abandoned child who roams the streets: A term for a child living without a home or guardians, often used pejoratively.
Examples of Usage
Adjective:
- The conference provided throwaway cups at the water station.
- She bought a throwaway camera for the vacation.
- He made his point in a throwaway line at the end of his speech.
Noun:
- Don't be upset by his comment; it was just a throwaway.
- The company distributed throwaways advertising the grand opening.
- The novel's protagonist grew up as a throwaway on the city's streets.
Advanced Usage
"Throwaway society": A critical term for a culture characterized by excessive consumption and disposal of goods.
- The documentary examined the environmental impact of our throwaway society.
"Throwaway remark/line": A comment made casually or without apparent forethought.
- Her throwaway remark about the budget later caused significant controversy.
Variants and Related Words
Throw away (phrasal verb): To discard something.
- You should throw away those old magazines.
Disposable (adjective): Similar in meaning to the adjective 'throwaway', describing an item intended to be used once and discarded.
- disposable gloves, disposable income
Synonyms
- Adjective: Disposable, single-use, expendable, cast-off.
- Noun (remark): Offhand comment, casual remark, passing comment.
- Noun (advertisement): Flyer, leaflet, circular, handbill.
- Noun (child): Street child, urchin, waif (note: many synonyms for this sense are also potentially offensive).
Related Phrases
- Throwaway culture: Similar to "throwaway society," describing a social trend of disposability.
- Activists are campaigning against the throwaway culture of fast fashion.
Idioms
- A throwaway line: An idiom directly from the noun sense, meaning a deliberately casual or understated remark.
- The politician's throwaway line about taxes was picked up by every news outlet.
Adjective
- intended to be thrown away after use
- throwaway diapers
- thrown away
- wearing someone's cast-off clothes
- throwaway children living on the streets
- salvaged some thrown-away furniture
Noun
- words spoken in a casual way with conscious under-emphasis
- an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a leaflet) intended for wide distribution
- he mailed the circular to all subscribers
- (sometimes offensive) a homeless boy who has been abandoned and roams the streets