Meaning and usage of the word waste in English

Meaning of vocabulary waste

wasteverb

lãng phí, uổng phí, vùng hoang vu, sa mạc, bỏ hoang

/weɪst/

Meaning of vocabulary <b>waste</b></b>

Origin of the word waste

By the 14th century, the spelling had changed to "waste", and the meaning had expanded to include the idea of something being thrown away or discarded. Over time, the connotation of the word shifted from a neutral sense of destruction to a negative sense of unnecessary or unwanted disposal. Today, the word "waste" can refer to both the act of discarding something and the material or substance being discarded itself.

Vocabulary summary waste

typeadjective

meaningabandoned, deserted (land)

exampledon't let water waste: don't let the water run away

exampleto waste one's words

examplewaste not, want not: no waste, no poverty

meaningdevastated

exampleto waste away

meaningdiscarded, worthless, no longer used, discarded

examplethe day wastes

examplewaste paper: waste paper, discarded paper

examplewaste water: waste water, dirty water poured away

typenoun

meaningdesert; wilderness, wasteland

exampledon't let water waste: don't let the water run away

exampleto waste one's words

examplewaste not, want not: no waste, no poverty

meaninggarbage; leftovers

exampleto waste away

meaning(technical) waste, worthless, unused material

examplethe day wastes

examplewaste paper: waste paper, discarded paper

examplewaste water: waste water, dirty water poured away

Example of vocabulary wastenot good use

meaning

the act of using something in a careless or unnecessary way, causing it to be lost or destroyed

  • I hate unnecessary waste.
  • It seems such a waste to throw good food away.
  • I hate to see good food go to waste (= be thrown away).
  • The report is critical of the department's waste of resources.
  • What a waste of paper!
meaning

a situation in which it is not worth spending time, money, etc. on something

  • These meetings are a complete waste of time.
  • They believe the statue is a waste of taxpayers' money.
  • The whole exercise is just a waste of effort.

Example of vocabulary wastematerials

meaning

materials that are no longer needed and are thrown away

  • household/garden/industrial waste
  • hazardous/toxic/radioactive waste
  • Landfills for solid wastes have started reaching their capacity.
  • waste disposal (= the process of getting rid of waste)
  • The private sector plays a significant role in waste management.
meaning

solid or liquid material that the body gets rid of

  • The farmers use both animal and human waste as fertilizer.

Example of vocabulary wasteland

meaning

a large area of land where there are very few people, animals or plants

  • the frozen wastes of Siberia

Words, synonyms, related vocabulary waste

Idioms of vocabulary waste

a waste of space
(informal)a person who is not useful or good at anything
  • You are a pathetic waste of space!

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