waste

²waste

verb

wast·edwast·ing

Definition of WASTE

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

— waste one's breath

: to accomplish nothing by speaking

Examples of WASTE

1. Don't waste water during the summer drought.
2. He always wasted his money on useless gadgets.
3. Turn off the lights so we don't waste electricity.
4. I think he's just wasting my time.
5. We can't afford to waste so much food.
6. We can't afford to waste this opportunity.

Origin of WASTE

Middle English, from Anglo-French waster, gaster, from Latin vastare, from vastus desolate, waste

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to WASTE

Synonyms: blow, dissipate, fiddle away, fritter (away), lavish, lose, misspend, run through, spend, squander, throw away, trifle (away), play ducks and drakes with (or make ducks and drakes of)

Antonyms: conserve

Related Words: splurge; consume, deplete, exhaust, impoverish, overspend, shoot; indulge, overindulge; disburse, expend, lay out

Near Antonyms: economize, scrimp, skimp; preserve, protect, save; hoard, lay up

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at ravage