litter1 nounlitter2 verb
litterlit‧ter1 /ˈlɪtə $ -ər/ ●●● S3 W3 noun 
WORD ORIGINlitter1
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French litiere, from lit ‘bed’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a picnic area with large wooden tables and litter bins
- I am tired of picking up litter thrown by other people.
- Our cat, Elsie, just had a litter of six kittens.
- The vacant lot across the street is filled with litter.
- The vet asked how many litters the dog had had.
- These streets are full of litter.
- You can be fined £100 for dropping litter.
- If we were to introduce a new toy to a litter of puppies, they would play with it.
- Never throw litter into ponds or streams. 10 Protect wildlife, plants and trees.
- People who lived and worked near the building complained of crime, litter and other problems associated with the feeding program.
- The gutter between the sidewalk and granite slabs is cleared of leaves and litter.
- There is litter on the seats of the train I take to Westminster.
- Therefore, it pays a hungry hamster or a weak deer to miscarry a male-biased litter and retain a female-biased one.
THESAURUS
especially British English things that people throw away, such as old food, dirty paper etc: · People are being encouraged to recycle their household rubbish.· the rubbish bin
American English rubbish: · The garbage is collected every Tuesday.· There were piles of trash in the backyard.· a black plastic garbage bag
formal rubbish: · The strike has disrupted refuse collection.· It’s a site which is used for domestic refuse.
empty bottles, pieces of paper etc that people have dropped on the ground: · Parents should teach children not to drop litter.· There was a lot of litter on the beach.
rubbish, or materials that need to be dealt with after they have been used in industrial processes: · nuclear waste· toxic waste· household waste· The company was fined for dumping toxic waste in the sea.
a very young child who has not yet learned to speak or walk: · I sat next to a woman holding a baby.
a baby who has learned how to walk: · The playground has a special area for toddlers.
formal a baby or a very young child: · The disease is mainly found in infants.
spoken informal a baby, or a small child up to the age of about three: · How old is your little one?
the babies of an animal or bird: · Kangaroos carry their young in a pouch.
a group of baby animals that are born at the same time to the same mother: · Our cat has just had a litter of six kittens.
of animals a group of cows, deer, or elephants: · A herd of cows was blocking the road.
a group of animals that work together: · The carriage was pulled by a team of horses.
a group of sheep or birds: · a flock of seagulls· The farmer has over 100 sheep in his flock.
a group of dogs or wolves: · Some dogs are bred to work in packs.
a group of kittens or puppies born at one time to a particular mother: · He was one of a litter of seven puppies.
a group of fish or dolphins: · Piranha fish live in shoals in the wild.
Longman Language Activatora baby animal the babies of an animal or bird: · The mother bird's main concern is to provide food for her young.· Kangaroos carry their young in a pouch.
: baby animal/rabbit/elephant etc a very young animal, rabbit etc - used especially by or to children: · In the zoo there is a small farm where children can look at the baby animals.· Baby monkeys cling to their mother's backs.
a newborn animal is one that has just been born: · Newborn kittens cannot open their eyes.· a mother sheep with her newborn lamb
a group of several baby animals that are born at the same time and have the same mother: · The vet asked how many litters the dog had had.· Our cat, Elsie, just had a litter of six kittens.
to move over a surface while pressing against it British all the paper, empty bottles, cans, pieces of food etc that you throw away: · The dustmen collect the rubbish on Wednesdays.· There was rubbish and broken glass all over the grass.put/take out the rubbish (=put it in a rubbish bin outside your house ready to be collected): · Don't forget to put the rubbish out before you go to bed.a rubbish bin (=a container for rubbish): · Two stolen paintings have been found dumped in a rubbish bin.rubbish dump/tip (=a large open area where people's rubbish is taken after it is collected): · I rescued this table from a rubbish dump.
American all the paper, empty bottles, cans, pieces of food etc that you throw away: · There were piles of trash in the backyard.take out the garbage/trash (=put it in a garbage can outside your house ready to be collected): · I do all the chores, from picking up the groceries to taking out the garbage.garbage/trash can (=a container for garbage): · Will someone please empty this trash can!garbage truck (=a truck that takes away garbage): · Ken drives a garbage truck for a living.
paper that you throw away, especially because it has been used: · There are two bins. One is for glass and one is for waste paper.waste paper binBritish /waste paper basket American: · She crumpled the letter up and put it in the waste paper basket.
empty bottles, packets, and pieces of paper that people have dropped on the street or in a park: · These streets are full of litter.drop litter: · You can be fined £100 for dropping litter.pick up litter: · I am tired of picking up litter thrown by other people.litter binBritish /litter basket American (=a container for litter): · a picnic area with large wooden tables and litter bins
formal all the things that are regularly thrown away from the houses, shops etc in an area: · Heaps of decaying refuse littered every street. refuse collection: · Refuse collection has been seriously affected by the strike.refuse disposal (=destroying or burying refuse): · We are gradually developing safer and more effective methods of refuse disposal.household/domestic refuse (=refuse from houses): · facilities for recycling household refuse
useless materials which are left over, especially after an industrial process, and which must be thrown away: · Too much waste has been dumped into the North Sea.industrial/chemical/nuclear waste: · Industrial waste had leaked into the water supply.radioactive/toxic/hazardous waste: · The government has announced a ban on all imports of toxic waste from abroad.waste disposal (=destroying or burying waste): · The costs of waste disposal are rising all the time.
WORD SETSagrarian, adjectiveagribusiness, nounagro-, prefixagro-industry, nounanimal husbandry, nounanimal rights, nounartificial insemination, nounbale, nounbale, verbbarn, nounbarnyard, nounbattery, nounbiotechnology, nounbreadbasket, nounbreed, verbbreeding, nounbroiler, nounbroiler chicken, nounBSE, nounbuckaroo, nounbull, nounbutcher, verbbyre, nouncapon, nouncattleman, nouncattle market, nouncattle prod, nounchaff, nounchicken, nounchicken run, nouncollective farm, nouncoop, nounco-op, nouncorral, nouncorral, verbcowboy, nouncowgirl, nouncowhand, nouncowpoke, nouncreamery, nouncroft, nouncrofter, nouncrofting, nouncultivate, verbcultivation, noundairy, noundairy cattle, noundairy farm, noundairymaid, noundairyman, nounDDT, noundip, verbdip, noundirt farmer, noundrover, noundry-stone wall, noundude ranch, nounDutch barn, nounextensive agriculture, factory farming, nounfallow, adjectivefarm, nounfarm, verbfarmer, nounfarmhand, nounfarmhouse, nounfarming, nounfarmland, nounfarmstead, nounfarmyard, nounfeedstock, nounfield, nounfishery, nounfish farm, nounfish meal, nounflail, verbflail, nounfleece, nounfodder, nounfold, nounfoot and mouth disease, nounforage, nounfowl, nounfree-range, adjectivefungicide, noungamekeeper, noungeld, verbgenetically modified, adjectivegentleman farmer, nounGM, adjectivegoatherd, noungraft, noungraft, verbgranary, noungreenhouse, noungreen revolution, nounGreen Revolution, nounhacienda, nounharrow, nounhatchery, nounhayloft, nounhaymaking, nounhaystack, nounheifer, nounhen house, nounherbicide, nounherd, nounherd, verbherdsman, nounhigh-yield, adjectivehired hand, nounhomestead, nounhomestead, verbhopper, nounhorticulture, nounhusbandry, nounhutch, nouninsecticide, nounintensive agriculture, irrigate, verbJersey, nounkibbutz, nounlamb, verbland agent, nounlasso, nounlasso, verblift, verblitter, nounlivestock, nounlonghorn, nounmad cow disease, nounmanure, nounmeat, nounmerino, nounmilk, nounmilk churn, nounmilking machine, nounmilking parlour, nounmilkmaid, nounmixed farming, nounmower, nounmuck, nounmuckheap, nounnursery, nounoast house, nounorangery, nounorchard, nounorganic, adjectiveorganic farming, paddock, nounpaddy, nounpasturage, nounpasture, nounpasture, verbpastureland, nounpen, nounperpendicular, adjectivepest, nounpesticide, nounpiggery, nounpigpen, nounpigsty, nounpigswill, nounpitchfork, nounplantation, nounplanter, nounplough, nounplough, verbploughboy, nounploughman, nounploughshare, nounpoultry, nounproducer, nounpullet, nounPYO, raise, verbranch, nounrancher, nounranching, nounrange, nounranger, nounrear, verbrick, nounrubber, nounrun, nounrustle, verbscarecrow, nounscythe, nounsharecropper, nounshare-cropper, nounshear, verbshearer, nounsheep-dip, nounsheepdog, nounsheep-pen, nounshepherd, nounshepherdess, nounsickle, nounsilage, nounsilo, nounslaughter, verbslaughterhouse, nounsmallholding, nounsow, verbsow, nounsprayer, nounstable, nounstable, verbstable boy, nounstall, nounstation, nounsteer, nounstock, nounstockbreeder, nounstockman, nounstockyard, nounstubble, nounsty, nounswill, nounswine, nounswineherd, nountenant farmer, nounterrace, nounthresh, verbthreshing machine, nountractor, nountrough, nountruck farm, nountrue, adverbudder, nounvillein, nounvineyard, nounweedkiller, nounweevil, nounwheat, nounwheatgerm, nounwheatmeal, nounwinnow, verbwool, nounwrangler, nounyoke, nounyoke, verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
People who drop litter can be fined in some cities. a litter of pups (=several pups born to the same mother at the same time)COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
People who drop litter can be fined in some cities.· Litter was left all over the field.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=a bin in a public place)· Please put all your rubbish in the litter bin.
(=small grains for a cat to use as a toilet inside the house)· You should change cat litter daily.
a litter of pups (=several pups born to the same mother at the same time)· The mess of pizza fragments, uneaten chips, beer-cans, papers, had been swept into the litter bin.· Eventually I threw up into a litter bin attached to a crowded bus shelter on St George's Road.· He remembered Woil staying by the bench and the litter bin where the Men could reach him.· And when I pretended to be a horse I got so excited I bumped into this litter bin and fell over.· The worse for drink, he lurches away, staggering to a litter bin where he is sick.· Amid the clattering trams and the hurrying crowds at the Hackescher Markt, the golden litter bin stands out.
· You can use a large plastic cat litter tray as a dirt-box.· Fill this with a small amount of cat litter, having lined it first with newspaper.
· We measured things other than fire, such as leaf litter.· In the fall, they are buried in the leaf litter.· Some materials have the animals in them to begin with. Leaf litter, soil and rotting timber contain small animals.· A wren scrabbled in leaf litter a few yards away: tiny, rufous-brown, pert tailed.· It begins with a fluttering in the mould and rot of the leaf litter.· A third marked contrast, of enormous ecological and economic significance, is in leaf litter.· Tallis could see how invisible feet kicked up the leaf litter, broke and trampled bracken.· The leaf litter of this remarkable plant is therefore bulky and relatively persistent.
· The secret in such cases is to increase the rate of emptying and cleaning the litter tray.· A final factor has to do with the position of the litter tray.· Cats hate to defecate where they eat and some people place the litter tray too near the animal's food dish.· So if a litter tray is in too public a place, this too may drive them elsewhere.· When you first introduce the litter tray, place the puppy here if you suspect that it is likely to use it.· The cats shared their room with an overflowing litter tray.· You can use a large plastic cat litter tray as a dirt-box.· This means leaving faeces in a prominent place, rather than covering them up in the litter tray.
VERB· Always clear up after a picnic and never drop litter 9 Help to keep all water clean.· But what if they drop litter?
· A week ago he was successful ... 13 baby boas were produced in the same litter, 12 of them survived.· The whole menagerie produced just a single litter.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1waste [uncountable] waste paper, cans etc that people have thrown away and left on the ground in a public place SYN rubbish, trash, garbage: - A litter of cocaine bags and razor blades was found in the room.
- An induced birth after thirty-six hours of false labor, the runt of a litter of twelve.
- Can a litter of kittens have more than one father?
- He fell twice, going down the second time across a litter of boxes, and losing the gun.
- If we were to introduce a new toy to a litter of puppies, they would play with it.
- Indeed, she may give to a litter of mixed paternity.
- The front of the house was a litter of branches that the wind had torn from the trees the night before.
- These little fishes become quite tame and will respond at feeding time by rushing to their food like a litter of puppies.
- They swept forward like a sea-wave, and left a litter of presents and tributes along the rim of the stage.
People who drop litter can be fined in some cities. a town with a litter problemGRAMMAR: Countable or uncountable?• Litter is an uncountable noun and is not used in the plural. You say: · The ground is covered in litter. ✗Don’t say: The ground is covered in litters.• Litter is always followed by a singular verb: · Litter was left all over the field.• When talking about one piece of paper, can etc, you say a piece of litter: · I didn’t see a single piece of litter.2baby animals [countable] a group of baby animals that a mother gives birth to at the same timelitter of a litter of kittens► see thesaurus at baby, group3for cat’s toilet [uncountable] small grains of a dry substance that is put in a container that a cat uses as a toilet indoors: cat litter a litter tray4forest [uncountable] (also leaf litter) dead leaves and other decaying plants on the ground in a forest5a litter of something literary a group of things that look very untidy: A litter of notes, papers, and textbooks were strewn on the desk.6for animal’s bed [uncountable] a substance such as straw that a farm animal sleeps on7bed [countable] a chair or bed for carrying important people, used in past timeslitter1 nounlitter2 verb
litterlitter2 verb VERB TABLE
litter
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | litter |
| he, she, it | litters | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | littered |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have littered |
| he, she, it | has littered | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had littered |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will litter |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have littered |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am littering |
| he, she, it | is littering | |
| you, we, they | are littering | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was littering |
| you, we, they | were littering | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been littering |
| he, she, it | has been littering | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been littering |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be littering |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been littering |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Dirty plates littered the kitchen.
- The sign says, "Please do not litter."
- Although telephone lines to the city remain severed, a Sarajevo radio reporter said corpses littered the pavement next to the town hall.
- Although the pet database is littered with a cat entry here and there, cat registration is not required in San Francisco.
- Shreds of plastic, old iron, glass, animal bones littered both sides of the path.
- Stirling himself took over his brother's flat again where the floor would be littered with maps and bits of equipment.
- The breeze fanning in off the ocean was dense with brine and the beach was littered with debris.
- The yard in front of the cottage was littered with discarded buckets, an old bath, a mangle and a pile of driftwood.
WORD SETS
aardvark, nounadder, nounAfghan, nounalley cat, nounalligator, nounalpaca, nounAlsatian, nounamphibian, nounamphibious, adjectiveangora, nounanimal, nounanteater, nounantelope, nounanthropoid, adjectiveantler, nounape, nounappaloosa, nounarachnid, nounarmadillo, nounasp, nounass, nounbaa, verbbaboon, nounbaby, nounbadger, nounbantam, nounbark, verbbark, nounbarnacle, nounbasset, nounbat, nounbay, nounbay, verbbay, adjectivebeagle, nounbear, nounbeast, nounbeast of burden, nounbeaver, nounbellow, verbbellow, nounbelly, nounbig cat, nounbig game, nounbighorn sheep, nounbilly goat, nounbiped, nounbison, nounbitch, nounbivalve, nounbleat, verbbloodhound, nounbloodstream, nounblow-hole, nounboa, nounboar, nounbobcat, nounbovine, adjectivebow-wow, nounboxer, nounbrainwave, nounbrindled, adjectivebristle, verbbronc, nounbronco, nounbrontosaurus, nounbrush, nounbuck, nounbuffalo, nounbull, nounbulldog, nounbullfrog, nounbullock, nounbull terrier, nounburro, nounburrow, nouncalf, nouncall, nouncalve, verbcamel, nouncanine, adjectivecanine, nouncarapace, nouncarcass, nouncaribou, nouncarnivore, nouncarthorse, nouncat, nouncattle, nouncaudal, adjectivecayman, nouncetacean, nounchameleon, nounchamois, nouncheetah, nounchestnut, nounchickadee, nounchicken, nounchihuahua, nounchimpanzee, nounchinchilla, nounchipmunk, nounchow, nounclaw, nouncloven hoof, nouncoat, nouncob, nouncobra, nouncocker spaniel, nouncold-blooded, adjectivecollie, nouncolouring, nouncolt, nouncomb, nounconnective tissue, nouncony, nouncoon, nouncopperhead, nouncorgi, nouncougar, nouncourtship, nouncow, nouncoyote, nouncoypu, nouncrest, nouncrocodile, nouncrop, verbcrustacean, nouncry, nouncub, nouncur, noundachshund, nounDalmatian, noundeer, nounden, noundentine, noundingo, noundinosaur, noundoe, noundog, noundolphin, noundomesticate, verbdonkey, noundormouse, noundorsal, adjectivedromedary, nounduckbilled platypus, nounearthworm, nounelephant, nounelk, nounentrails, nounermine, nounewe, nounexcreta, nounexcretion, nounfallopian tube, nounfallow deer, nounfang, nounfauna, nounfawn, nounfeed, nounfeeler, nounfeline, adjectivefeline, nounfemale, adjectivefemale, nounferal, adjectiveferret, nounfetlock, nounfieldmouse, nounfilly, nounfin, nounfleece, nounflipper, nounflying fox, nounfoal, nounfoal, verbfoetus, nounforefoot, nounforeleg, nounfox, nounfoxhound, nounfox terrier, nounFriesian, nounfrog, nounfrogspawn, nounfruit bat, nounfur, nounfurry, adjectivegarter snake, noungazelle, noungecko, noungeese, gelding, noungerbil, nounGerman shepherd, noungestation, noungiant panda, noungibbon, noungiraffe, noungnu, noungoat, noungolden retriever, noungopher, noungorilla, noungregarious, adjectivegreyhound, noungroundhog, nounground squirrel, noungrunt, verbguinea pig, nounhack, nounhackles, nounhairless, adjectivehamster, nounhare, nounhart, nounhaunch, nounhedgehog, nounheifer, nounhen, nounherbivore, nounherd, nounhermit crab, nounhibernate, verbhind, adjectivehind, nounhindquarters, nounhippo, nounhippopotamus, nounhock, nounhog, nounhoof, nounhorned, adjectivehorse, nounhound, nounhowl, verbhump, nounhusky, nounhyaena, nounhybrid, nounhyena, nounibex, nouniguana, nounimpala, nouninbred, adjectiveinbreeding, nouninsectivore, nouninterbreed, verbinvertebrate, nounjackal, nounjackrabbit, nounjaguar, nounjellyfish, nounJersey, nounkangaroo, nounkid, nounkoala, nounkookaburra, nounLabrador, nounlair, nounlamb, nounlemming, nounleopard, nounlion, nounlioness, nounlitter, nounlitter, verblizard, nounllama, nounlonghorn, nounlugworm, nounlynx, nounmale, nounmamba, nounmammal, nounmammary, adjectivemammoth, nounmandible, nounmandrill, nounmane, nounman-eater, nounmare, nounmarmoset, nounmarsupial, nounmarten, nounmastitis, nounmate, nounmate, verbmating, nounmaw, nounmenagerie, nounmew, verbmiaow, verbmice, nounmigrant, nounmilk, verbmimic, verbmimic, nounmink, nounmole, nounmollusc, nounmongoose, nounmongrel, nounmonkey, nounmoo, verbmoose, nounmoult, verbmountain goat, nounmountain lion, nounmouse, nounmule, nounmuskrat, nounmussel, nounmustang, nounmutt, nounmuzzle, nounnag, nounnanny goat, nounnative, adjectivenative, nounnest, nounnewt, nounnocturnal, adjectiveocelot, nounoctopus, nounoffspring, nounoink, interjectionokapi, nounOld English sheepdog, nounomnivore, nounomnivorous, adjectiveopossum, nounorangutang, nounotter, nounox, nounpachyderm, nounpack, nounpad, nounpair, nounpanda, nounpanther, nounparasite, nounparasitic, adjectivepaw, nounpaw, verbpeccary, nounpedigree, adjectivepeke, nounPekinese, nounpelt, nounPersian cat, nounpest, nounpheasant, nounpiebald, adjectivepied, adjectivepig, nounpiggy, nounpiglet, nounpincer, nounpine marten, nounpinto, nounpit bull terrier, nounpit pony, nounplankton, nounplate, nounplatypus, nounpointer, nounpolar bear, nounpolecat, nounpolyp, nounpony, nounpooch, nounpoodle, nounporcupine, nounporker, nounporpoise, nounPortuguese man-of-war, nounpossum, nounpouch, nounprairie dog, nounprance, verbpredation, nounpredator, nounpredatory, adjectiveprehensile, adjectiveprey, nounprickle, nounpride, nounprimate, nounproboscis, nounprocreate, verbprowl, verbpterodactyl, nounpuffin, nounpug, nounpullet, nounpuma, nounpup, nounpurebred, adjectivepurr, verbpussy, nounpython, nounquack, verbquadruped, nounquill, nounrabbit, nounrabbit warren, nounrabid, adjectiveraccoon, nounracoon, nounram, nounrat, nounrattler, nounrattlesnake, nounravening, adjectivereindeer, nounreptile, nounretract, verbretriever, nounrhesus monkey, nounrhino, nounrhinoceros, nounroan, nounrodent, nounroe deer, nounrottweiler, nounruminant, nounruminate, verbrump, nounrunt, nounrut, nounsable, nounsac, nounsalamander, nounsausage dog, nounscavenge, verbschool, nounscorpion, nounseal, nounsea lion, nounseashell, nounsea urchin, nounsemen, nounserpent, nounsetter, nounsex, verbshed, verbsheep, nounsheepdog, nounShetland pony, nounshire horse, nounshrew, nounshrimp, nounSiamese cat, nounsilkworm, nounsimian, adjectivesire, nounskin, nounskunk, nounsloth, nounslug, nounsnail, nounsnake, nounsnakebite, nounsnarl, verbsniffer dog, nounsnout, nounsocial, adjectivesow, nounspaniel, nounspawn, verbspawn, nounsperm whale, nounsponge, nounspoor, nounspore, nounspringbok, nounsquid, nounsquirrel, nounstag, nounstallion, nounstarfish, nounSt Bernard, nounsteed, nounsteer, nounsting, nounstinger, nounstoat, nounstomach, nounstray, adjectivestray, nounstud, nounsucker, nounsuckle, verbsuckling, nounswine, nountadpole, nountail, nountame, adjectivetame, verbtapeworm, nountapir, nounteat, nountentacle, nounterrapin, nounterrier, nounterritorial, adjectiveterritory, nountiger, nountigress, nountoad, nountom, nountomcat, nountooth, nountortoise, nountortoiseshell, nountrumpet, verbtrunk, nountufted, adjectiveturtle, nountusk, nountyrannosaurus, nounudder, nounuterus, nounvampire bat, nounvent, nounvermin, nounvertebrate, nounvicuña, nounviper, nounvivarium, nounvixen, nounvole, nounwag, verbwallaby, nounwallow, verbwalrus, nounwarm-blooded, adjectivewarren, nounwarthog, nounwater buffalo, nounwater rat, nounwater vole, nounweasel, nounweevil, nounwhale, nounwhelk, nounwhelp, nounwhelp, verbwhinny, verbwhippet, nounwhisker, nounwild boar, nounwildcat, nounwildebeest, nounwildfowl, nounwinkle, nounwithers, nounwolf, nounwolfhound, nounwombat, nounwool, nounyak, nounyap, verbyap, nounyearling, nounyelp, nounYorkshire terrier, nounyoung, nounzebra, nounzoologist, nounzoology, nounzygote, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a litter of pups (=several pups born to the same mother at the same time)COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
(=a bin in a public place)· Please put all your rubbish in the litter bin.
(=small grains for a cat to use as a toilet inside the house)· You should change cat litter daily.
a litter of pups (=several pups born to the same mother at the same time)· Discarded clothing began to litter the floor.· Crates and cardboard boxes still littered the floor.· Drawers littered all over the floor, cushions ripped open.· The windows are now boarded up, but the rocks which came through them still litter the floor.· Car springs and axles littered the floor.· They eat their prey at their roosts, littering the cave floor with the broken up remains of their meals.· One day Bernard arrived to find crisp wrappers littering the floor and the assistants sitting around smoking.· Clothes, newspapers and nameless rubbish littered the floor and over everything a radio blasted away at fall strength.
· Heaps of garbage littered the grounds.
· Here and there old cars littered the streets like debris from a civil war.· When it snows in Boston, residents litter the streets with old furniture, barrels and a rusty washing machine or two.· In downtown Olympia, shattered shop windows and rubble littered the streets.· But any illegal littering of city streets is the domain of the four litter cops.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1[transitive] (also litter up) if things litter an area, there are a lot of them in that place, scattered in an untidy way: - The guide book is littered with bits of wisdom and humor.
- The streets were littered with smashed vehicles and glass.
- Blown engines, driveshaft failures, the 1,500 mile long route is littered with hard luck stories.
- History, unfortunately, is littered with the consequences of such responses to unfamiliar realities.
- It is littered with things called pseudogenes.
- Pop music history is littered with examples of out of court settlements as a result of unlicensed sampling.
- The bedroom floor was littered with wrapping papers.
- The boats are littered with rags, tin cans, and pots.
- The sidewalks are littered with trash, the elm trees are gone.
- You can see that the surfaces are littered with boulders, a degree of roughness consistent with radar scattering data.
Clothes littered the floor.litter something with something The desk was littered with papers.2be littered with something if something is littered with things, there are a lot of those things in it SYN be full of something: Recent business news has been littered with stories of companies failing.3[intransitive, transitive] to leave waste paper, cans etc on the ground in a public place4[intransitive] technical if an animal such as a dog or cat litters, it gives birth to babies