mothball

[ mawth-bawl, moth- ]

/ ˈmɔθˌbɔl, ˈmɒθ- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR mothball ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a small ball of naphthalene or sometimes of camphor for placing in closets or other storage areas to repel moths from clothing, blankets, etc.

verb (used with object)

to put into storage or reserve; inactivate.

adjective

inactive; unused; stored away: a mothball fleet.

Idioms for mothball

in mothballs,

in disuse or in storage, especially with reference to standby equipment.
(of ideas) dismissed as unworthy of further deliberation.

Origin of mothball

First recorded in 1905–10; moth + ball¹

Words nearby mothball

mote, motel, mote spoon, motet, moth, mothball, mothballs, moth bean, moth-eaten, mother, motherboard

Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for mothball

mothball

/ (ˈmɒθˌbɔːl) /

noun

Also called: camphor ball a small ball of camphor or naphthalene used to repel clothes moths in stored clothing, blankets, etc

put in mothballs to postpone work on (a project, activity, etc)

verb (tr)

to prepare (a ship, aircraft, etc) for a long period of storage by sealing all openings with plastic to prevent corrosion

to take (a factory, plant, etc) out of operation but maintain it so that it can be used in the future

to postpone work on (a project, activity, etc)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

单词	mothball
释义	mothball [ mawth-bawl, moth- ] / ˈmɔθˌbɔl, ˈmɒθ- / SEE SYNONYMS FOR mothball ON THESAURUS.COM noun a small ball of naphthalene or sometimes of camphor for placing in closets or other storage areas to repel moths from clothing, blankets, etc. verb (used with object) to put into storage or reserve; inactivate. adjective inactive; unused; stored away: a mothball fleet. Idioms for mothball in mothballs, in disuse or in storage, especially with reference to standby equipment. (of ideas) dismissed as unworthy of further deliberation. Origin of mothball First recorded in 1905–10; moth + ball¹ Words nearby mothball mote, motel, mote spoon, motet, moth, mothball, mothballs, moth bean, moth-eaten, mother, motherboard Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020 British Dictionary definitions for mothball mothball / (ˈmɒθˌbɔːl) / noun Also called: camphor ball a small ball of camphor or naphthalene used to repel clothes moths in stored clothing, blankets, etc put in mothballs to postpone work on (a project, activity, etc) verb (tr) to prepare (a ship, aircraft, etc) for a long period of storage by sealing all openings with plastic to prevent corrosion to take (a factory, plant, etc) out of operation but maintain it so that it can be used in the future to postpone work on (a project, activity, etc) Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Words related to mothball perpetuate, protect, save, secure, uphold, defend, freeze, keep, sustain, retain, safeguard, conserve, store, suspend, waive, prolong, put off, give up, hoard, hide
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mothball

noun

verb (used with object)

adjective

Idioms for mothball

Origin of mothball

Words nearby mothball

British Dictionary definitions for mothball

noun

verb (tr)

Words related to mothball