litter
rubbish left in public places
Trash such as paper, cans, or bottles that people leave on the ground in streets, parks, and other public places.
[someone] drops/throws [litter] [in/on a place]
- The city has a serious problem with litter in its parks.
- Fines for dropping litter have doubled in the last year.
- Volunteers spent the morning picking up litter along the beach.
- Please put your litter in the bin before you leave the train.
- Plastic litter is harming wildlife in rivers and oceans.
- There is a lot of litter on the street after the game.
- We picked up litter in the park on Saturday.
- Do not drop litter on the ground.
- She put her sandwich wrapper with the other litter in the bin.
- The sign says, "No litter."
to drop rubbish in public places
To drop or leave trash on the ground in a street, park, or other public place.
[someone] litters [a place]
- Tourists are warned not to litter the beaches during the holiday season.
- The path through the forest was badly littered with bottles and cans.
- You can be fined if you are caught littering in this city.
- Protesters promised they would not litter the area around the government buildings.
- After the parade, the main street was littered with confetti.
- Do not litter in the park.
- The students littered the playground with drink cans.
- Many people litter the streets after big events.
- The sign says, "Please do not litter."
- Someone littered the beach with plastic bags.
group of baby animals born together
A group of baby animals, such as puppies or kittens, that are born from the same mother at the same time.
a litter of [young animals]
- Their dog had a litter of eight puppies last month.
- The shelter is trying to find homes for a litter of abandoned kittens.
- This will be the cat's last litter before she is spayed.
- On average, a litter of pigs contains about ten piglets.
- Each puppy in the litter was given a different colored collar.
- The cat gave birth to a litter of five kittens.
- They adopted a puppy from a large litter.
- This is the dog's first litter.
- Every kitten in the litter looks different.
- The farmer wrote down the size of each litter.
absorbent material in pet toilet trays
Dry material in a box or tray that a pet, especially a cat, uses as a toilet inside a home.
[someone] changes/cleans the litter
- Don't forget to change the cat litter at least twice a week.
- We buy clumping litter because it is easier to clean.
- The smell was strong because the litter hadn't been changed for days.
- Please scoop the litter before you leave for work.
- Recycled paper litter is better for the environment than clay-based products.
- The cat used the litter in the box.
- I need to buy more cat litter today.
- She cleans the litter every morning.
- He put fresh litter in the tray.
- This litter does not smell bad.
to cover an area with scattered things
To cover a place with many small things lying around in a messy way.
[things] litter [a place]; [someone] litters [a place] with [things]
- Toys littered the living room floor after the party.
- Old magazines littered every surface in his apartment.
- Her desk was littered with open notebooks and coffee cups.
- The report is littered with spelling errors.
- Small fishing boats littered the harbor as the sun came up.
- Clothes littered the floor in his room.
- Many bottles littered the table after dinner.
- Her desk was littered with pens and papers.
- Leaves littered the garden after the storm.
- The page is littered with small mistakes.
untidy scattered pile of things
A messy group of things lying in different places on a table, floor, or other surface.
a litter of [things] on [a surface]
- Her bedroom floor was a litter of clothes and shoes.
- The table was covered with a litter of newspapers and empty cups.
- He pushed aside the litter of tools to find a clear space.
- There was a litter of documents across the office carpet.
- We spent the afternoon sorting through the litter of old photos.
- There was a litter of toys on the floor.
- His desk was a litter of books and papers.
- I cleaned up the litter of clothes in my room.
- The kitchen table was a litter of dirty plates.
- She moved the litter of things to one side.
straw or similar bedding for animals
Straw or other dry material on the floor where farm animals sleep and go to the toilet.
[someone] spreads/changes the litter
- Fresh straw litter was spread in the cows' stalls every morning.
- The smell improved as soon as they changed the litter in the pig sheds.
- Proper litter helps keep the animals dry and warm in winter.
- The farmer added more litter to absorb the moisture on the floor.
- Deep litter systems reduce the need for daily cleaning.
- The farmer put new litter in the cow shed.
- They changed the dirty litter in the pig house.
- Good litter keeps the animals warm and dry.
- Workers spread straw litter on the floor of the stable.
- The chickens walked on the soft litter.
portable frame for carrying a person
A kind of seat or bed with poles that people use to carry a person from place to place.
[someone] is carried in a litter
- The injured soldier was carried from the battlefield on a litter.
- In ancient times, nobles traveled through the city in ornate litters.
- Servants lowered the litter so that the queen could step out.
- The explorers fashioned a makeshift litter from branches and rope.
- Four bearers lifted the litter and moved slowly down the narrow street.
- The man was too weak to walk, so they carried him on a litter.
- In the story, the king travels in a litter.
- They made a simple litter to move the injured woman.
- Two men held the front of the litter and two held the back.
- Workers lifted the litter and took the patient to the road.
- Base: litter
- Plural: litter, litters
- Base: litter
- 3rd Person Singular: litters
- Present Participle: littering
- Past: littered
cat litter
1absorbent material for cat toilets
Special dry material that you put in a box for a cat to use as a toilet inside your home.
- We need to buy more cat litter before the weekend.
- She prefers clumping cat litter because it is easier to clean.
drop litter
1to leave litter on the ground
To throw or leave trash on the ground in a public place instead of using a bin.
- People who drop litter here can be fined.
- Please don't drop litter on the bus.
litter bin
1public rubbish container
A container in a public place where people should put their litter.
- There are not enough litter bins in the city center.
- Please use the litter bin instead of dropping that on the ground.
litter box
1indoor toilet box for pets
A box inside a house that is filled with litter, where a cat or small pet can go to the toilet.
- Please clean the litter box before guests arrive.
- They keep the litter box in the bathroom to control the smell.
litter bug
1person who drops litter in public
A person who drops trash on the ground in public places instead of using a bin.
- The campaign poster says, "Don't be a litter bug!"
- Only a litter bug would throw a bottle out of a car window.
litter tray
1tray that holds pet litter
A shallow box or tray that holds litter for a cat or small pet to use as a toilet inside.
- She put the litter tray in a quiet corner of the kitchen.
- Change the water and clean the litter tray every day.
pick up litter
1to collect litter from the ground
To collect pieces of trash from the ground and put them into a bag or bin.
- Every Saturday, volunteers meet to pick up litter along the river.
- Students were asked to pick up litter after the school festival.