squander
pronunciation
How to pronounce squander in British English:
UK [ˈskwɒndə(r)]
How to pronounce squander in American English:
US [ˈskwɑːndər]
-
- Verb:
- spend thoughtlessly; throw away
- spend extravagantly
Word Origin
- squander (v.)
- 1580s (implied in squandering), "to spend recklessly or prodigiously," of unknown origin; Shakespeare used it in "Merchant of Venice" (1593) with a sense of "to be scattered over a wide area." Squander-bug, a British symbol of reckless extravagance and waste during war-time shortages, represented as a devilish insect, was introduced 1943. In U.S., Louis Ludlow coined squanderlust (1935) for the tendency of government bureaucracies to spend much money.
Example
- 1. There really are no excuses to squander your commuting time .
- 2. They can also squander it though .
- 3. Mr nasser should not squander it .
- 4. But I believe that spain is likely to squander that advantage .
- 5. Mr cook is competent enough not to squander mr jobs 's legacy .