waste

pronunciation

How to pronounce waste in British English: UK [weɪst] word uk audio image

How to pronounce waste in American English: US [weɪst] word us audio image

Noun:

any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly
the trait of wasting resources
an uninhabited wilderness that is worthless for cultivation
(law) reduction in the value of an estate caused by act or neglect
Verb:

spend thoughtlessly; throw away
use inefficiently or inappropriately
get rid of
run off as waste
get rid of (someone who may be a threat) by killing
spend extravagantly
lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief
cause to grow thin or weak
devastate or ravage
waste away
Adjective:

disposed of as useless
located in a dismal or remote area; desolate

Word Origin

waste: waste: [12] The etymological notions underlying waste are ‘emptiness’ and ‘desolation’. Its main modern sense, ‘squander’, is a comparatively recent development, first recorded in English in the 14th century. Its ultimate source is Latin vāstus ‘empty’, which has also given English devastate and vast. From this was formed the verb vāstāre ‘devastate, lay waste’, which passed into English via Old Northern French waster. The derivative wastrel dates from the 16th century.=> devastate, vast

waste (v.): c. 1200, "devastate, ravage, ruin," from Anglo-French and Old North French waster "to waste, squander, spoil, ruin" (Old French gaster; Modern French gâter), altered (by influence of Frankish *wostjan) from Latin vastare "lay waste," from vastus "empty, desolate, waste" (see vain). Related: wasted; wasting. The Germanic word also existed in Old English as westan "to lay waste, ravage." Spanish gastar, Italian guastare also are from Germanic. Meaning "to lose strength or health; pine; weaken" is attested from c. 1300; the sense of "squander, spend or consume uselessly" is first recorded mid-14c.; meaning "to kill" is from 1964. Waste not, want not attested from 1778.

waste (n.): c. 1200, "desolate regions," from Anglo-French and Old North French wast "waste, damage, destruction; wasteland, moor" (Old French gast), from Latin vastum, neuter of vastus "waste" (see waste (v.)). Replaced or merged with Old English westen, woesten "a desert, wilderness," from the Latin word. Meanings "consumption, depletion," also "useless expenditure" are from c. 1300; sense of "refuse matter" is attested from c. 1400. Waste basket first recorded 1850.

waste (adj.): c. 1300, of land, "desolate, uncultivated," from Anglo-French and Old North French waste (Old French gaste), from Latin vastus (see waste (v.)). From c. 1400 as "superfluous, excess;" 1670s as "unfit for use." Waste-paper attested from 1580s.

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