waste

waste
I. noun Etymology: Middle English waste, wast; in sense 1, from Anglo-French wast, from wast, gast, guast, adjective, desolate, waste, from Latin vastus; in other senses, from Middle English wasten to waste — more at vast Date: 13th century 1. a. a sparsely settled or barren region ; desert b. uncultivated land c. a broad and empty expanse (as of water) 2. the act or an instance of wasting ; the state of being wasted 3. a. loss through breaking down of bodily tissue b. gradual loss or decrease by use, wear, or decay 4. a. damaged, defective, or superfluous material produced by a manufacturing process: as (1) material rejected during a textile manufacturing process and used usually for wiping away dirt and oil <
cotton waste
>
(2) scrap (3) an unwanted by-product of a manufacturing process, chemical laboratory, or nuclear reactor <
toxic waste
>
<
hazardous waste
>
<
nuclear waste
>
b. refuse from places of human or animal habitation: as (1) garbage, rubbish (2) excrement — often used in plural (3) sewage c. material derived by mechanical and chemical weathering of the land and moved down sloping surfaces or carried by streams to the sea II. verb (wasted; wasting) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French waster, gaster, from Latin vastare, from vastus desolate, waste Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. to lay waste; especially to damage or destroy gradually and progressively <
reclaiming land wasted by strip-mining
>
2. to cause to shrink in physical bulk or strength ; emaciate, enfeeble <
a body wasted by disease
>
3. to wear away or diminish gradually ; consume 4. a. to spend or use carelessly ; squander <
waste valuable resources
>
b. to allow to be used inefficiently or become dissipated <
a writer wasting her talent
>
5. kill; also to injure severely intransitive verb 1. to lose weight, strength, or vitality — often used with away <
was wasting away from illness
>
2. a. to become diminished in bulk or substance b. to become consumed 3. to spend money or consume property extravagantly or improvidently Synonyms: see ravage III. adjective Etymology: Middle English waste, wast, from Anglo-French wast Date: 14th century 1. a. (1) being wild and uninhabited ; desolate (2) arid, empty b. not cultivated ; not productive 2. being in a ruined or devastated condition 3. [waste (I)] a. discarded as worthless, defective, or of no use ; refuse <
waste material
>
b. excreted from or stored in inert form in a living body as a byproduct of vital activity <
waste products
>
4. [waste (I)] serving to conduct or hold refuse material <
a waste barrel
>
; specifically carrying off superfluous water <
a waste drain
>
5. wasted 4

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Waste — Waste, is an unwanted or undesired material or substance. It is also referred to as rubbish, trash, garbage, or junk depending upon the type of material and the regional terminology. In living organisms, waste relates to unwanted substances or… …   Wikipedia

  • waste — n 1: destruction of or damage to property that is caused by the act or omission of one (as a lessee, mortgagor, or life tenant) having a lesser estate and is usu. to the injury of another (as an heir, mortgagee, or remainderman) with an interest… …   Law dictionary

  • WASTE — WASTE …   Википедия

  • Waste — Waste, a. [OE. wast, OF. wast, from L. vastus, influenced by the kindred German word; cf. OHG. wuosti, G. w[ u]st, OS. w?sti, D. woest, AS. w[=e]ste. Cf. {Vast}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Desolate; devastated; stripped; bare; hence, dreary; dismal;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • waste — [wāst] vt. wasted, wasting [ME wasten < NormFr waster < L vastare, to lay waste, devastate (< vastus: see VAST): infl. by Gmc * wostjan > OHG wuosten] 1. to destroy; devastate; ruin 2. to wear away; consume gradually; use up 3. to… …   English World dictionary

  • Waste — Waste, n. [OE. waste; cf. the kindred AS. w[=e]sten, OHG. w[=o]st[=i], wuost[=i], G. w[ u]ste. See {Waste}, a. & v.] [1913 Webster] 1. The act of wasting, or the state of being wasted; a squandering; needless destruction; useless consumption or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • waste — n 1 Waste, desert, badlands, wilderness can mean a tract or region of land not usable for cultivation or general habitation. Waste is the general term applicable to a tract or region which because of natural features (as poor stony soil,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • waste — ► VERB 1) use carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose. 2) fail to make full or good use of. 3) (be wasted on) be unappreciated by. 4) (often waste away) become progressively weaker and more emaciated. 5) literary lay waste to. 6) …   English terms dictionary

  • Waste — Waste, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wasted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Wasting}.] [OE. wasten, OF. waster, guaster, gaster, F. g[^a]ter to spoil, L. vastare to devastate, to lay waste, fr. vastus waste, desert, uncultivated, ravaged, vast, but influenced by a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • WASTE — (auch W.A.S.T.E.) ist ein P2P Filesharing Programm für kleine Arbeitsgruppen mit bis zu 50 Benutzern. Es besitzt integrierte Benachrichtigungsfunktionen, die an Instant Messaging und IRC erinnern (Liste mit angemeldeten Benutzern, Chaträume für… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • waste — waste; waste·ful; waste·less; waste·man; waste·ness; un·waste·fully; waste·ful·ly; waste·ful·ness; …   English syllables

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