garbagegar‧bage /ˈɡɑːbɪdʒ $ ˈɡɑːr-/ ●●● S3 noun [uncountable] 
Can you take out the garbage when you go?2stupid words, ideas etc SYN rubbish British English: You’re talking garbage.3 garbage in, garbage out used to say that if the data (=information) you put into a computer is bad, the results you get back will be bad, even if the computer program you use works properly
WORD ORIGINgarbage
Origin:
1400-1500 Anglo-FrenchEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Don't buy from that store -- most of the stuff there is garbage.
- The garbage is under the sink.
- The attic was full of all kinds of garbage, including an old stereo and boxes of broken toys.
- You can throw out all the stuff in that cupboard, it's garbage.
- But, oh, how the garbage is sanitised and transmuted by the alchemy of the machine!
- Material suitable for deep sea dumping included sewage sludge, industrial waste, and toxic ashes left after the incineration of garbage.
- Such costly advances in disposal have strengthened big garbage companies, but are putting small ones out of business.
- When the rains came, they huddled under umbrellas and makeshift tents and donned ponchos or raincoats fashioned from plastic garbage bags.
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.
Longman Language Activatorto 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.
objects that are useless and not needed objects that have little value because they are old, useless, broken, or unwanted: · a market stall selling junk and old clothes· a pile of old junk· Her cupboards were full of junk which she had accumulated over the years.
especially American, informal things that are useless because they are badly made, old, or broken: · Don't buy from that store -- most of the stuff there is garbage.· You can throw out all the stuff in that cupboard, it's garbage.· The attic was full of all kinds of garbage, including an old stereo and boxes of broken toys.
WORD SETSairbed, nounair conditioning, nounair freshener, nounappliance, nounbachelor flat, nounback-to-back, nounbackyard, nounballcock, nounbar, nounbarn, nounbarrow, nounbaseboard, nounbasket, nounbay window, nounbeater, nounbedclothes, nounbedding, nounbed linen, nounbedspread, nounbidet, nounblade, nounbleach, nounboard, verbboarding, nounbobbin, nounbog, nounbog roll, nounbolt, nounbolt, verbboom box, nounboudoir, nounbow window, nounbric-a-brac, nounbutler, nouncarpet, nouncarpet, verbcarpeting, nouncasket, nouncement, nouncentral heating, nouncentrepiece, nounchamber, nounchamber pot, nounchange purse, nounchimney breast, nounchimney-piece, nounChristmas stocking, nounChristmas tree, nouncloth, nouncoal, nouncoal scuttle, nouncolour scheme, nouncomforter, nounconvection oven, nounconvector, nouncooker, nouncooler, nouncounterpane, nouncreosote, nouncubbyhole, nouncurtain, nouncurtain hook, nouncushion, noundaily, noundefrost, verbden, noundesk tidy, noundes res, noundetergent, noundimmer, noundomestic, adjectivedomestic, noundomesticated, adjectivedomesticity, noundomestic science, noundomestic service, noundoor, noundormer, noundraughty, adjectivedrive, noundriveway, noundrop cloth, nounduplex, noundust, nounduvet, noundwelling, noundwelling house, nounearthen, adjectiveeggshell, nounempties, nounfire alarm, nounfirelighter, nounflock, nounflooring, nounfluff, nounflush, verbflypaper, nounflyswatter, nounfold, verbfootman, noungarage sale, noungarbage, noungasman, noungas meter, noungate, noungatehouse, noungatepost, noungateway, noungauze, noungingham, nounglass, nounglaze, verbglazing, noungrating, noungroan, verbguardrail, noungutter, nounguttering, nounhall, nounhallway, nounhandkerchief, nounhandyman, nounhang, verbhanging, nounhardware, nounheat, nounheatproof, adjectiveheat-resistant, adjectiveheirloom, nounhelper, nounhot-water bottle, nounhouseboy, nounhousekeeper, nounhousemaid, nounhousewares, nounhumidifier, nounhurricane lamp, nounimmersion, nounimmersion heater, nouninlaid, adjectiveinlay, nouninsulation, nouninterior decorator, nounionizer, nounironwork, nounjumble, nounjumble sale, nounkeepsake, nounkeyhole, nounknocker, nounlag, verblagging, nounlanding, nounlaundry basket, nounlinen, nounloo, nounmaid, nounmaidservant, nounmailbox, nounmajordomo, nounmanor, nounmantelpiece, nounmasking tape, nounmirror, nounmosquito net, nounmote, nounmothball, nounmoulding, nounmouth, nounmove, nounmoving van, nounmullion, nounnewspaper, nounniche, nounnonflammable, adjectivenook, nounobjet d'art, nounodd-job man, nounoilcloth, nounoil-fired, adjectiveornament, nounouthouse, nounoverflow, nounpad, nounpail, nounpaint, nounpaint, verbpaintbrush, nounpainting, nounpalatial, adjectivepaling, nounpalisade, nounpanel, nounpanelled, adjectivepantile, nounpaper, nounpaper, verbpartition, nounparty wall, nounpasskey, nounpaste, nounpatina, nounpebbledash, nounpegboard, nounpencil, nounpencil sharpener, nounpendulum, nounpension, nounpercale, nounpicture rail, nounpiggy-bank, nounpillowcase, nounpin, nounpincushion, nounplace card, nounplace mat, nounplastic wrap, nounplug, nounplughole, nounplumbing, nounplunger, nounpoker, nounpomander, nounpotpourri, nounpress, nounprivy, nounproperty, nounpunkah, nounQ-tip, nounqueen-size, adjectivequilted, adjectiverail, nounrailing, nounrake, verbrambling, adjectiveramp, nounredecorate, verbrelay, verbremote, nounremote control, nounretainer, nounribbon development, nounroller blind, nounrug, nounrumpus room, nounsafety match, nounsanitation worker, nounsconce, nounScotch tape, nounscrapbook, nounscrap paper, nounscreen, nounscreen door, nounscrew, nounscrew top, nounscullery, nounscuttle, nounSellotape, nounsheet, nounshelving, nounshower, nounshutter, nounshuttered, adjectivesink, nounskirting board, nounsliding door, nounsoft furnishings, nounspiral staircase, nounspittoon, nounsponge bag, nounsteam iron, nounstitch, verbstitching, nounstopcock, nounstorage heater, nounstove, nounstripper, nounsump, nounswag, nounswing door, nountablecloth, nountable linen, nountable mat, nountableware, nountaper, nountapestry, nountarpaulin, nountelevision, nountelly, nounterrycloth, nounthinner, nounthrowaway, adjectivethumbtack, nountinsel, nountoilet, nountowel, nountowel rail, nountransistor radio, nountrash can, nountrash compactor, nountread, nountrunk, nountub, nountumble dryer, noununfurnished, adjectivevalance, nounvarnish, nounvase, nounVenetian blind, nounwalk-in, adjectivewall, noun-ware, suffixwastepaper basket, nounwater closet, nounway out, nounWC, nounweathercock, nounweather vane, nounwhite spirit, nounwick, nounwind chimes, nounwindow, nounwindow box, nounwindowpane, nounwindowsill, nounwipe, nounwoodpile, nounwoodshed, nounwrapper, nounwrapping, nounwrapping paper, nounyard, nounyard sale, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Can you take out the garbage when you go?COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
1especially American English waste material, such as paper, empty containers, and food thrown away SYN rubbish British English: Can you take out the garbage when you go?· His long screaming charge ended with him red-faced, gasping for breath - and with Viola Angotti pinned against the garbage cans.· Several doors had been propped open with garbage cans, and footage from the security cameras was missing.· Dumping Viola Angotti in the garbage can was a way of re-establishing his pride - of making himself feel big and important.· How about the rattling of metal, not plastic, garbage cans?· He laid it on top of one of the garbage cans lined up in front of his building.· Wagons are what we have now instead of garbage cans in my little hometown of Lufkin.· For a while her favorite subject was garbage cans.· Anyway, I went downstairs to investigate and discovered the noise was coming from outside by the garbage cans.
· For longer sentences there is a vast amount of garbage collection required.· When these findings attracted media attention, Mayor Lindsay appointed a commission to look into the option of contracting out garbage collection.· Paul with garbage collection, for example.· The Phoenix Department of Public Works does this by competing in garbage collection.· The board fired the garbage collection service and contracted with another young man, on condition that he hire Kenilworth-Parkside residents.
· Everybody else became a fireman or a cop or a garbage collector or 3 truck driver.
· The man who shared her apartment was surly, unfriendly, and always complaining about the lifts and the garbage disposal.· Her gear shifts sounded like twenty cooks pushing trays of silverware into an industrial-strength garbage disposal.· Run lemon wedges or fresh mint leaves through garbage disposal to kill odors.· On the other hand, we understand why you would prefer not to see usable food go down the garbage disposal.
· Bigger garbage firms developed as concern about the safety of garbage dumps did.· Trashmore, a local toboggan hill built atop a garbage dump.· The largest group work at the municipal garbage dump near the banks of the river Cauca.· It sat at the southern edge of San Salvador on land that had once held a garbage dump.· He could be very thorough ... A body on a garbage dump nine miles out west of Atlanta.· The entryway was a garbage dump for rotted food, and the stairways reeked of old and pungent uric acid.· Countless numbers of discarded water jugs and plastic trash bags have turned many areas into garbage dumps.
· He praised the virtues of volunteerism and made vague mention of garbage men he knows who collect trash as volunteers.
· A final factor contributes to the low income of garbage pickers and this relates to their involvement in the international economy.· The garbage picker appears to work for himself but is in fact part of an industrial organisation.
· Put a David Smith out for the garbage truck to haul off?· At Twentieth and Blake he saw a man swabbing a garbage truck.· The threat is as if a garbage truck had overturned and dumped wilted intellectual lettuce on bystanders.· Sunlight coming through a nearby window or the sound of an early morning garbage truck can disturb a light sleeper.· And putting it in an alley can cause garbage trucks to sink up to their axles.· So he bought this old Dodge and washed it Howard stared at the garbage truck cruising slowly down the street.
VERB· The man will more often take out the garbage, wash the dishes, and do other chores around the house.· I leave them after exchanging pleasantries, taking the garbage downstairs with me.· List all the essential tasks from buying groceries to taking out the garbage.· San Marcos, which has been a county dump customer, has not decided where it will take its garbage.· Some cities, however, have threatened to form a coalition to take their municipal garbage anywhere but county dumps.
Can you take out the garbage when you go?2stupid words, ideas etc SYN rubbish British English: You’re talking garbage.3 garbage in, garbage out used to say that if the data (=information) you put into a computer is bad, the results you get back will be bad, even if the computer program you use works properly