mothball

[mawth-bawl, moth-]

noun

1. 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)

1. to put into storage or reserve; inactivate.

adjective

1. inactive; unused; stored away.

   a mothball fleet.

mothball

/ ˈmɒθˌbɔːl /

noun

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

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

verb

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

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of mothball¹

First recorded in 1905–10; moth + ball ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in mothballs,

   1. in disuse or in storage, especially with reference to standby equipment.

   2. (of ideas) dismissed as unworthy of further deliberation.

Example Sentences

And it would vindicate the Dodgers’ strategy of all but mothballing an elite starting pitcher for almost three weeks and then handing him the ball and asking him to win them the division series.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That plant has been mothballed awaiting new contracts, amid uncertainty over the finances and viability of its owner.

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The assignment was to reimagine the mothballed and dilapidated General Hospital building that towers over the Eastside as the centerpiece of a vibrant new health-oriented community.

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However, the university is still looking at redundancies, course closures and mothballing projects in a bid to cut costs.

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Coming from the nearby Greenidge Generation power plant, which had been mothballed for years before, the sound has angered some local people.

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Related Words

• conserve 
• defend 
• freeze 
• keep 
• perpetuate 
• protect 
• retain 
• safeguard 
• save 
• secure 
• store 
• sustain 
• uphold