waste

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Derived terms 1.3.2 Translations 1.4 Adjective 1.4.1 Usage notes 1.4.2 Derived terms 1.4.3 Translations 1.5 Verb 1.5.1 Derived terms 1.5.2 Translations 1.6 See also 2 Dutch 2.1 Verb

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

(noun) Middle English from Anglo-Norman from Old North French wast(e) (compare Old French guast (“‘wasteland’”)) of Germanic origin akin to Old Frankish *wōsti (“‘waste’”), Old Frankish wōstjan (“‘to waste, devastate, make desolate’”), Old High German. wuosti (“‘waste’”), Old English wēste (“‘desolate, barren, empty’”), Old English wēsten (“‘wasteland, desert’”), Old English wēstan (“‘to waste, ravage’”). Vowel a in word possibly influenced by related forms in Latin (eg. vastum), but otherwise accounted for in normal development in Old French (compare Old French o > a in dongier > dangier (“‘danger’”))

[edit] Pronunciation

• enPR: wāst, IPA: /weɪst/, SAMPA: /weIst/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -eɪst

• Homophones: waist

[edit] Noun

waste (countable and uncountable; plural wastes)

1. A waste land; an uninhabited desolate region; a wilderness.
2. A place that has been laid waste or destroyed.
3. A large tract of uncultivated land.
4. A vast expanse of water.
5. A disused mine or part of one.
6. The action or progress of wasting; extravagant consumption or ineffectual use.

   That was a waste of time

   Her life seemed a waste

7. Large abundance of something, especially without it being used.
8. Gradual loss or decay.
9. A decaying of the body by disease; wasting away.
10. (rare) Destruction or devastation caused by war or natural disasters; See "to lay waste"
11. Excess of material, useless by-products or damaged, unsaleable products; garbage; rubbish.
12. Excrement (animal waste, human waste).
13. (law) A cause of action which may be brought by the owner of a future interest in property against the current owner of that property to prevent the current owner from degrading the value or character of the property, either intentionally or through neglect.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

• Ido: disip-ado
• Italian: sottoprodotto (1)
• Spanish: desechos m, pl (1), detrito m. (1), basura f. (1)

[edit] Adjective

waste (comparative more waste, superlative most waste)

1. Uncultivated or unhabited; barren; desert.
2. Rejected as being defective; eliminated as being worthless; produced in excess.
3. Superfluous; needless.
4. Unfortunate; Disappointing.

[edit] Usage notes

Same meanings as wasted.

[edit] Derived terms

• affirmative waste
• ameliorative waste
• go to waste
• lay waste
• lie waste
• permissive waste
• run to waste
• voluntary waste
• wasteland
• wasteness
• wastrife

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to waste (third-person singular simple present wastes, present participle wasting, simple past and past participle wasted)

1. (transitive) Devastate or destroy.
2. (transitive) Use up, diminish, reduce by gradual loss; decay; emaciate.

   After he lost hope, he wasted away.

3. (transitive) Squander money or resources uselessly; spend time idly.

   We wasted millions of dollars and several years on that project.

4. (transitive, slang) Kill; murder.
5. (intransitive) Gradually lose weight or weaken.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

• Ido: deperisar

[edit] See also

• Waste on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Waste (disambiguation)

• waste in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.

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[edit] Dutch

[edit] Verb

waste

1. The singular past tense of wassen. (to wash)