mothball
[ mawth-bawl, moth- ]
/ ˈmɔθˌbɔl, ˈmɒθ- /
noun
verb (used with object)
to put into storage or reserve; inactivate.
adjective
inactive; unused; stored away: a mothball fleet.
QUIZZES
Fend Off Sciolism With This Word Of The Day Quiz
Are you the Cinderella of this week’s quiz? Test your memory on the words and definitions from March 23–29.
Question 1 of 7
schlep
Idioms for mothball
- in disuse or in storage, especially with reference to standby equipment.
- (of ideas) dismissed as unworthy of further deliberation.
in mothballs,
Words nearby mothball
moth, moth bean, moth mullein, moth orchid, moth-eaten, mothball, mothballs, mother, mother carey's chicken, mother cell, mother church
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based 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