释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024lit•ter /ˈlɪtɚ/USA pronunciation n. - rubbish scattered about:[uncountable]streets full of litter.
- a condition of disorder or untidiness:[uncountable]We were appalled at the litter in the room.
- Zoology the group of young born to an animal at one birth:[countable]a litter of six kittens.
- [countable] a framework of cloth stretched between two parallel bars, for carrying a sick or wounded person;
stretcher. - [countable] a vehicle carried by people or animals, made up of a couch hung between two parallel bars.
- [uncountable] straw, hay, or the like, used as bedding for animals or as protection for plants.
- [uncountable] any of various absorbent materials, as clay pellets, used for lining a box in which a cat can eliminate waste.
v. - to throw scattered objects, rubbish, etc., on (a place): [~ + object]to be fined for littering the sidewalk.[no object]He was given a fine for littering.
- [~ + object] to scatter (objects) in disorder.
- to be scattered about (a place) in disorder:[~ + object]Bits of paper littered the floor.
lit•ter•er, n. [countable] WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024lit•ter (lit′ər),USA pronunciation n. - objects strewn or scattered about;
scattered rubbish. - a condition of disorder or untidiness:We were appalled at the litter of the room.
- Zoologya number of young brought forth by a multiparous animal at one birth:a litter of six kittens..
- a framework of cloth stretched between two parallel bars, for the transportation of a sick or wounded person;
stretcher. - a vehicle carried by people or animals, consisting of a bed or couch, often covered and curtained, suspended between shafts.
- straw, hay, or the like, used as bedding for animals or as protection for plants.
- the layer of slightly decomposed organic material on the surface of the floor of the forest.
- See cat litter.
- Idioms pick of the litter:
- the best or choicest of the animals, esp. puppies, in a litter.
- the best of any class, group, or available selection.
v.t. - to strew (a place) with scattered objects, rubbish, etc.:to be fined for littering the sidewalk.
- to scatter (objects) in disorder:They littered their toys from one end of the playroom to the other.
- to be strewn about (a place) in disorder (often fol. by up):Bits of paper littered the floor.
- Zoologyto give birth to (young), as a multiparous animal.
- to supply (an animal) with litter for a bed.
- to use (straw, hay, etc.) for litter.
- to cover (a floor or other area) with straw, hay, etc., for litter.
v.i. - Zoologyto give birth to a litter:The cat had littered in the closet.
- to strew objects about:If you litter, you may be fined.
- Medieval Latin lectāria, equivalent. to Latin lect(us) bed + -āria feminine of -ārius -er2
- Anglo-French; Old French litiere
- Middle English litere bed, litter 1250–1300
lit′ter•er, n. - 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged clutter.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See brood.
- 10.See corresponding entry in Unabridged mess (up).
- 11.See corresponding entry in Unabridged disarrange, derange.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: litter /ˈlɪtə/ n - small refuse or waste materials carelessly dropped, esp in public places
- (as modifier): litter bin
- a disordered or untidy condition or a collection of objects in this condition
- a group of offspring produced at one birth by a mammal such as a sow
- a layer of partly decomposed leaves, twigs, etc, on the ground in a wood or forest
- straw, hay, or similar material used as bedding, protection, etc, by animals or plants
- See cat litter
- a means of conveying people, esp sick or wounded people, consisting of a light bed or seat held between parallel sticks
vb - to make (a place) untidy by strewing (refuse)
- to scatter (objects, etc) about or (of objects) to lie around or upon (anything) in an untidy fashion
- (of pigs, cats, etc) to give birth to (offspring)
- (transitive) to provide (an animal or plant) with straw or hay for bedding, protection, etc
Etymology: 13th Century (in the sense: bed): via Anglo-French, ultimately from Latin lectus bed |