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litter
[ lit-er ]
noun
- objects strewn or scattered about; scattered rubbish.
- a condition of disorder or untidiness:
We were appalled at the litter of the room.
Synonyms:
- a number of young brought forth by a multiparous animal at one birth:
a litter of six kittens.
- a framework of cloth stretched between two parallel bars, for the transportation of a sick or wounded person; stretcher.
- a vehicle carried by people or animals, consisting of a bed or couch, often covered and curtained, suspended between shafts.
- straw, hay, or the like, used as bedding for animals or as protection for plants.
- the layer of slightly decomposed organic material on the surface of the floor of the forest.
verb (used with object)
- to strew (a place) with scattered objects, rubbish, etc.:
to be fined for littering the sidewalk.
- to scatter (objects) in disorder:
They littered their toys from one end of the playroom to the other.
Synonyms: ,
- to be strewn about (a place) in disorder (often followed by up ):
Bits of paper littered the floor.
- to give birth to (young), as a multiparous animal.
- to supply (an animal) with litter for a bed.
- to use (straw, hay, etc.) for litter.
- to cover (a floor or other area) with straw, hay, etc., for litter.
verb (used without object)
- to give birth to a litter:
The cat had littered in the closet.
- to strew objects about:
If you litter, you may be fined.
litter
/ ˈɪə /
noun
- small refuse or waste materials carelessly dropped, esp in public places
- ( as modifier )
litter bin
- a disordered or untidy condition or a collection of objects in this condition
- a group of offspring produced at one birth by a mammal such as a sow
- a layer of partly decomposed leaves, twigs, etc, on the ground in a wood or forest
- straw, hay, or similar material used as bedding, protection, etc, by animals or plants
- See cat litter
- a means of conveying people, esp sick or wounded people, consisting of a light bed or seat held between parallel sticks
verb
- to make (a place) untidy by strewing (refuse)
- to scatter (objects, etc) about or (of objects) to lie around or upon (anything) in an untidy fashion
- (of pigs, cats, etc) to give birth to (offspring)
- tr to provide (an animal or plant) with straw or hay for bedding, protection, etc
Other Word Forms
- t· noun
- t·t adjective
- t·t·ing adjective
- -t verb (used with object)
- ܲ·t adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of litter1
Idioms and Phrases
- pick of the litter,
- the best or choicest of the animals, especially puppies, in a litter.
- the best of any class, group, or available selection.
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
It is full of litter and we are deep in seemingly empty cardboard boxes.
Then there are the truly obscure offences - like a parent ignoring a school attendance order, applying for a driver's licence when banned or littering in a zoo.
"It feels like the litter picks aren't making any difference, the litter and the fly-tipping is coming back twofold. It's a gloomy place to be in, it's depressing," she said.
The UK government ban on disposable and single-use vapes is aimed at stopping littering as, in most cases, the vapes cannot be recycled and often end up in landfill or pollute natural environments.
But, some Clifton residents said there are problems with litter and human waste appearing at the beauty spot.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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