Wasting - English meaning

verb

(of body tissue or an organ) waste away, especially as a result of the degeneration of cells, or become vestigial during evolution.

Usage examples:

The calf muscles will atrophy

noun

The process of atrophying or state of having atrophied.

Usage examples:

Gastric atrophy

verb

(of a part of the body) to be reduced in size and therefore strength, or, more generally, to become weaker

Usage examples:

After several months in a hospital bed, my leg muscles had atrophied., in the 1980s, their politica…

abbreviation

Bushel(s).

noun

A measure of capacity equal to 8 gallons (equivalent to 36.4 litres), used for corn, fruit, liquids, etc.

verb

(of organic matter) rot or decompose through the action of bacteria and fungi.

Usage examples:

The body had begun to decay

noun

The state or process of rotting or decomposition.

Usage examples:

Hardwood is more resistant to decay than softwood

noun

Damage, or a state that becomes gradually worse

Usage examples:

The dentist says i have a lot of tooth decay., there’s still too much crime, poverty, and decay in …

verb

(typically of something regarded as good) become smaller, fewer, or less; decrease.

Usage examples:

The birth rate continued to decline

noun

A gradual and continuous loss of strength, numbers, quality, or value.

Usage examples:

A serious decline in bird numbers

verb

To go down in amount or quality; lessen or weaken

Usage examples:

His interest in the project declined after his wife died., her health declined quickly., [ t ] she …

adjective

Having lost the physical, mental, or moral qualities considered normal and desirable; showing evidence of decline.

Usage examples:

A degenerate form of a higher civilization

noun

An immoral or corrupt person.

Usage examples:

Get out of my house, you degenerate!

verb

Decline or deteriorate physically, mentally, or morally.

Usage examples:

The quality of life had degenerated

verb

Use up the supply or resources of.

Usage examples:

Reservoirs have been depleted by years of drought

verb

To reduce something in size or amount, esp. supplies, energy, or money

Usage examples:

Acid rain depletes the region’s fish stocks., [ u ] the depletion of our savings is starting to wor…

verb

To reduce the amount or size of something, especially a supply of energy, an amount of money, etc.

Usage examples:

Healthcare for a sick patient can quickly deplete retirement savings.

verb

Become progressively worse.

Usage examples:

Relations between the countries had deteriorated sharply

verb

To become worse

Usage examples:

She went into the hospital when her condition began to deteriorate., a deterioration in relations b…

verb

To become worse

Usage examples:

If the economy continues to deteriorate, it will affect the firm's future performance., sales will …

verb

(with reference to a feeling or emotion) disappear or cause to disappear.

Usage examples:

The concern she'd felt for him had wholly dissipated

verb

To disappear gradually, or to cause something to disappear gradually

Usage examples:

[ t ] it took months of effort to dissipate the oil spill in the north sea.

verb

Cause the water or other liquid in (something) to run out, leaving it empty or dry.

Usage examples:

We drained the swimming pool

noun

A channel or pipe carrying off surplus liquid, especially rainwater or liquid waste.

Usage examples:

The room's toilet pipes and shower drains carry this waste to a holding tank.

verb

Emptying something by allowing liquid to run out of it

verb

Make (someone) feel very tired.

Usage examples:

Her day out had exhausted her

noun

Waste gases or air expelled from an engine, turbine, or other machine in the course of its operation.

Usage examples:

Buses spewing out black clouds of exhaust

verb

To make a person or an animal extremely tired

Usage examples:

The long hike up the mountain exhausted us all., after a whole day with the kids, her patience was …

verb

Gradually grow faint and disappear.

Usage examples:

The light had faded and dusk was advancing

noun

The process of becoming less bright.

Usage examples:

The sun can cause colour fade

verb

Become less clearly visible or distinguishable

noun

A piece of cloth or similar material, typically oblong or square, attachable by one edge to a pole or rope and used as the symbol or emblem of a country or institution or as a decoration during public festivities.

Usage examples:

The american flag

verb

Mark (an item) for attention or treatment in a specified way.

Usage examples:

The spellcheck program flags any words that are not in its dictionary

noun

A flat stone slab, typically rectangular or square, used for paving.

Usage examples:

Stone flags are £32 per square yard and slates go for £2 each.

phrasal verb

Spend frivolously and unwisely

phrasal verb

To waste money, time, or an opportunity

Usage examples:

Retirees must plan how to fill their hours or they risk frittering the time away.

verb

(of a person, animal, or plant) lose or lack vitality; grow weak.

Usage examples:

Plants may appear to be languishing simply because they are dormant

verb

To exist in an unpleasant or unwanted situation, often for a long time

Usage examples:

Members of congress have introduced plans, but those have languished.

verb

To be weak or fail to improve

Usage examples:

Traditional industries continue to languish or disappear.

adjective

Sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious.

Usage examples:

A lavish banquet

verb

Bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities on.

Usage examples:

The media couldn't lavish enough praise on the film

adjective

Spending, giving, or using more than is necessary or reasonable; more than enough

Usage examples:

The team has the most lavish training facility in the league., they live in a lavishly furnished ap…

verb

Spend (one's time or money) foolishly, wrongly, or wastefully.

Usage examples:

He was forced to resign following accusations of misspending public funds

verb

To use time or money in a way that wastes it or is not wise

Usage examples:

We must stop public money being misspent in this way., being a good pool player is usually a sign o…

verb

Use (something) in the wrong way or for the wrong purpose.

Usage examples:

He was found guilty of misusing public funds

noun

The wrong or improper use of something.

Usage examples:

Drugs of such potency that their misuse can have dire consequences

verb

To use something in an unsuitable way or in a way that was not intended

Usage examples:

She’s been accused of misusing federal funds to pay for her son’s private school expenses., [ c ] t…

verb

Slowly decay or disintegrate, especially because of neglect.

Usage examples:

The books, if any are ever printed, will moulder in the warehouse

noun

A person or thing that moulds something.

Usage examples:

A moulder of public opinion

verb

To decay slowly

Usage examples:

I found these apples mouldering in the cupboard., there's an old bike that's been mouldering away i…

verb

(chiefly of animal or vegetable matter) decay or cause to decay by the action of bacteria and fungi; decompose.

Usage examples:

The chalets were neglected and their woodwork was rotting away

noun

The process of decaying.

Usage examples:

The leaves were turning black with rot

verb

To decay, or to cause something to decay or weaken

Usage examples:

[ i ] the fallen apples rotted on the ground., [ t ] dampness rotted the old wood., rot weakened th…

verb

Become or make smaller in size or amount.

Usage examples:

The workforce shrank to a thousand

noun

A psychiatrist.

Usage examples:

You should see a shrink

verb

To become smaller or cause something to become smaller

Usage examples:

[ i ] the show’s audience has shrunk in the last few months., [ t ] i shrank my sweater by putting …

verb

Waste (something, especially money or time) in a reckless and foolish manner.

Usage examples:

£100m of taxpayers' money has been squandered on administering the tax

verb

To waste money, or to use something valuable that you have a limited amount of in a bad or foolish way

Usage examples:

Government should not squander the taxpayers’ money., don’t squander your opportunities when you ar…

verb

To waste large amounts of money or other resources

Usage examples:

Fifty-five percent of likely voters are convinced that much of the state's tax money is being squan…

verb

(of a plant, leaf, or flower) become limp through heat, loss of water, or disease; droop.

Usage examples:

At this time, chill treatment seedlings were severely wilted with extensive leaf rolling characteri…

noun

Any of a number of fungal or bacterial diseases of plants characterized by wilting of the foliage.

Usage examples:

These varieties are more resistant to aphids and wilt

verb

Archaic second person singular of will1.

verb

(of a plant) become dry and shrivelled.

Usage examples:

The grass had withered to an unappealing brown

verb

To become, or cause something to become, weak, dry, and smaller

Usage examples:

[ t ] hot, dry weather withered the peanut crop in the southeast., [ i ] fig. public interest in th…