litter

LIT-ur/ˈlɪt.ɚ/UKLIT-uh/ˈlɪt.ə/

Plurallitters (some meanings)

20 meanings of litter

1
noununcountable
Trash that people leave or throw on the ground.
Like candy wrappers and cans left all over a playground.
Volunteers spent the morning clearing litter from the beach.
The park was covered in litter after the festival ended.
Similarrubbish, trash, garbage, refuse, debris
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2
nouncountable
All the baby animals born to one mother at the same time.
Like a whole batch of cookies made in one go.
The cat gave birth to a litter of six kittens.
Our dog's latest litter included three black puppies.
Similarbrood
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3
verbintransitive
To throw trash on the ground instead of in a trash can.
Like dropping your wrapper on the floor instead of cleaning up.
Please don't litter when you visit the park.
People who litter can be fined quite heavily.
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4
noununcountable
Loose material like clay or wood chips that soaks up the waste of pet animals.
Like sand in a box that soaks up mess and traps the smell.
She poured fresh litter into the cat's tray.
We buy clumping litter for our two cats.
5
noununcountable
Loose material such as straw or grass used as a bed for people or animals.
Like a soft pile of straw heaped up to lie on.
The farmer spread fresh litter across the stable floor.
The travelers slept on litter of straw and dried grass.
Similarbedding
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6
noununcountable
The layer of fallen leaves and bits of plants lying on a forest floor.
Like a brown blanket of dead leaves covering the ground.
The forest floor was thick with litter by late fall.
A toad hid under the damp litter beneath the trees.
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7
verbtransitive
To throw things around a place in a messy way.
Like tossing your stuff everywhere instead of putting it away.
Don't litter your toys all around the room.
The wind littered leaves over the whole yard.
Similarscatter, strew
Oppositegather
8
verbtransitive
To cover a place with scattered things.
Like covering a whole room with scattered mess.
Don't litter the floor with crumbs after lunch.
They littered the park with bottles and cans.
Similarstrew, clutter, cover
Oppositeclear, tidy
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9
noununcountable
Animal bedding mixed together with the animal's droppings.
Like dirty straw raked out of an animal's pen.
The farmer cleared the litter from the henhouse each week.
They spread the soiled litter onto the fields as manure.
Similarmanure, muck
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10
nouncountable
A bed or seat carried on poles by people or animals.
Like a bed with handles that people lift and carry you on.
Servants carried the queen through the streets on a litter.
The bride was carried to the temple on a decorated litter.
Similarpalanquin
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11
nouncountable
Any seat or bed carried on poles to move a person from place to place.
Like a small bed with handles that people carry instead of using wheels.
Travelers could hire any kind of litter, from a plain chair to a curtained bed.
Servants carried the wealthy merchant in a litter up the hill.
Similarpalanquin
12
nouncountable
A simple frame or bed used to carry someone who is sick or hurt.
Like a flat bed with handles that two people carry between them.
The soldiers lifted their wounded friend onto a litter.
Two medics carried the patient down the trail on a litter.
Similarstretcher
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13
verbtransitive
To give birth to a group of baby animals.
Rabbits can litter several young in a single season.
The sow littered eight piglets overnight.
Similarbear, whelp, birth
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14
verbintransitive
To have several baby animals at the same time.
The farm cat will litter again this spring.
Their rabbits littered twice last year.
Similarfarrow, whelp
15
verbtransitive
To spread straw or other bedding on the floor for animals.
Each evening the farmer littered the stalls with fresh straw.
We litter the barn floor before the cold nights.
Similarbed, strew
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16
nounrarecountable
A bed or surface made from loose materials like straw or leaves.
Like a soft pile of leaves or straw to lie down on.
The dog made a litter of leaves and grass under the porch.
She piled soft hay into a litter for the newborn lambs.
Similarbed, layer, mat
17
verbintransitive
To sleep on straw or other loose bedding, or to make a bed in it.
The travelers litter down in the barn when no rooms remain.
Soldiers littered on straw spread across the cold floor.
Similarsleep, bed
18
nounobsoleteuncountable
Straw, grass, and similar dried plants, used in things like thatch and mulch.
Like dry grass and straw used to build or cover things.
The workers mixed litter into the wet clay to strengthen the walls.
Fresh litter was spread over the roots to keep them warm.
Similarstraw, grass, thatch
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19
nounobsoletecountable
A bed made from a pile of straw, often with blankets on top.
The traitours sought the Kyng... yn the withdrawyng chaumburs, yn the litters, undir the presses.
1440, John Shirley, The Full Lamentable Cronycle of the Dethe and False Murdure of James Stewarde...Here, litters means beds, often made of straw.
Tho laye they doun on a lytier made of strawe, the foxe, hys wyf and hys chyldren wente alle to slepe.
1481, The Historye of Reynart the Foxe, William CaxtonHere, lytier means a bed made of straw.
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20
nounobsoletecountable
The event of giving birth to several baby animals at one time.
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Practice

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Origin

From Old French litiere meaning a bed of loose straw, from Latin lectus meaning 'bed' or 'couch'.