mothball
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moth·ball
(môth′bôl′, mŏth′-)n.
1. A marble-sized ball, originally of camphor but now of naphthalene, stored with clothes to repel moths.
2. mothballs
a. A condition of long storage for possible future use: put the battleship into mothballs.
b. A condition of being set aside or discarded: have put the plan into mothballs.
tr.v. moth·balled, moth·ball·ing, moth·balls
1. To remove (a ship, for example) from active service or use and put into protective storage.
2. To defer indefinitely; shelve: mothball a project.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
mothball
(ˈmɒθˌbɔːl)n
1. (Elements & Compounds) Also called: camphor ball a small ball of camphor or naphthalene used to repel clothes moths in stored clothing, blankets, etc
2. put in mothballs to postpone work on (a project, activity, etc)
vb (tr)
3. (Nautical Terms) to prepare (a ship, aircraft, etc) for a long period of storage by sealing all openings with plastic to prevent corrosion
4. (Commerce) to take (a factory, plant, etc) out of operation but maintain it so that it can be used in the future
5. to postpone work on (a project, activity, etc)
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
moth•ball
(ˈmɔθˌbɔl, ˈmɒθ-)n.
1. a small ball of naphthalene or sometimes of camphor for placing in closets or other storage areas to repel moths.
2. in mothballs,
v.t. a. in reserve or storage.
b. in a state of disuse, rejection, or repudiation: That idea belongs in mothballs.
3. to put into storage; inactivate.
adj. 4. inactive; stored away: a mothball fleet.
[1905–10]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
mothball
Past participle: mothballed
Gerund: mothballing
| Imperative |
|---|
| mothball |
| mothball |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. | mothball - a small sphere of camphor or naphthalene used to keep moths away from stored clothing camphor - a resin obtained from the camphor tree; used in making celluloid and liniment naphthalene - a white crystalline strong-smelling hydrocarbon made from coal tar or petroleum and used in organic synthesis and as a fumigant in mothballs |
| Verb | 1. | mothball - put into long-term storage store - find a place for and put away for storage; "where should we stow the vegetables?"; "I couldn't store all the books in the attic so I sold some" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
كُرَة العُث
naftalín
mølkugle
molyirtó
mölkúla
naftalín
naftalin topu
mothball
[ˈmɒθbɔːl]Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
moth
(moθ) – plural moths (moθs) (American) (mo:ðz) – noun1. any of a large number of insects, rather like butterflies but with wider bodies, seen mostly at night and attracted by light.
2. a clothes moth. The moths have been at my evening dress.
clothes moth a type of moth whose larva feeds on cloth and makes holes.
ˈmothball noun a small ball of a chemical used to protect clothes from clothes moths.
ˈmoth-eaten adjective (of cloth) eaten by moths. a moth-eaten blanket.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.