waste

CEFRB1

/ˈweɪ̯st/

verb · noun · adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To use something carelessly or without purpose.

  2. 02

    noun

    Material that is unwanted and thrown away.

Examples

  • Boredom is the feeling that everything is a waste of time; serenity, that nothing is.

  • The council is responsible for waste disposal and street cleaning.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
3
Citations
5
Synonyms
3

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. A wasteland; an uninhabited desolate region; a wilderness or desert.

  2. Excrement or urine.

adjective

Extra meaning

  1. Not used or needed.

More examples

In context

  • This day was just a waste of time and money.

  • The cage was littered with animal waste.

  • Her life seemed a waste.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The teacher told the students not to blank paper when they were drawing.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English wast, waste (“a waste”, noun), from Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French wast, waste (“a waste”), from Frankish *wōstī (“a waste”), from Proto-Germanic *wōstaz, *wōstuz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“empty, wasted”).