litter
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++lit·ter1 /ˈlɪtə $ -ər/ ●●● S3 W3 noun 1 waste 垃圾 [uncountable]RUBBISH/WASTE waste paper, cans etc that people have thrown away and left on the ground in a public place 〔在公共场所乱扔的〕垃圾，废弃物 SYN rubbish, trash, garbage People who drop litter can be fined in some cities. 在有些城市，乱扔垃圾的人会被罚款。 a town with a litter problem 存在乱扔垃圾问题的一个小镇5 GRAMMAR 语法• Litter is an uncountable noun and has no plural form. Use a singular verb after it. litter 是不可数名词，没有复数形式，后跟单数动词Litter spoils the countryside.垃圾破坏了乡村景色。n GRAMMAR: Countable or uncountable?• Litter is an uncountable noun and is not used in the plural. You say: The ground is covered in litter. ✗Don’t say: The ground is covered in litters.• Litter is always followed by a singular verb: Litter was left all over the field.• When talking about one piece of paper, can etc, you say a piece of litter: I didn’t see a single piece of litter.2 baby animals 幼小的动物 [countable]HBABABY/HAVE A BABY a group of baby animals that a mother gives birth to at the same time 〔同时出生的〕一窝〔小动物〕litter of a litter of kittens 一窝小猫► see thesaurus at baby, group3 for cat’s toilet 供猫便溺 [uncountable]DHP small grains of a dry substance that is put in a container that a cat uses as a toilet indoors 猫砂〔一种干燥的颗粒物质，置于容器中供猫在室内便溺用〕 cat litter 猫砂 a litter tray 猫砂盘4. forest 森林 [uncountable] (also leaf litter) dead leaves and other decaying plants on the ground in a forest 〔森林里的〕落叶，枯枝落叶层5 a litter of something literaryGROUP OF THINGS a group of things that look very untidy 杂乱的一堆东西 A litter of notes, papers, and textbooks were strewn on the desk. 一堆笔记、考卷和课本乱七八糟地摊在桌子上。6. for animal’s bed 给动物睡觉用 [uncountable]TA a substance such as straw that a farm animal sleeps on 〔家畜睡眠用的〕褥草，垫草7. bed 床 [countable]TTB a chair or bed for carrying important people, used in past times 〔旧时重要人物坐的〕轿，舆
Examples from the Corpus
litter• Our cat, Elsie, just had a litter of six kittens.• If we were to introduce a new toy to a litter of puppies, they would play with it.• The gutter between the sidewalk and granite slabs is cleared of leaves and litter.• a picnic area with large wooden tables and litter bins• Therefore, it pays a hungry hamster or a weak deer to miscarry a male-biased litter and retain a female-biased one.• People who lived and worked near the building complained of crime, litter and other problems associated with the feeding program.• You can be fined £100 for dropping litter.• There is litter on the seats of the train I take to Westminster.• The vet asked how many litters the dog had had.• These streets are full of litter.• Never throw litter into ponds or streams. 10 Protect wildlife, plants and trees.• I am tired of picking up litter thrown by other people.• The vacant lot across the street is filled with litter.drop litter• We disturb wildlife, pollute air, drop litter and literally wear out the footpaths.• Always clear up after a picnic and never drop litter 9 Help to keep all water clean.• But what if they drop litter?litter2 verb 1 [transitive] (also litter up)UNTIDY if things litter an area, there are a lot of them in that place, scattered in an untidy way 使凌乱；把〔某处〕弄乱 Clothes littered the floor. 衣服扔了一地。litter something with something The desk was littered with papers. 桌子上乱七八糟地堆满报纸。2 be littered with something LOT/LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNTif something is littered with things, there are a lot of those things in it 充满某物 SYN be full of something Recent business news has been littered with stories of companies failing. 最近的商业新闻都是公司倒闭的消息。3. [intransitive, transitive]RUBBISH/WASTE to leave waste paper, cans etc on the ground in a public place 〔在公共场所〕乱扔（垃圾）4. [intransitive] technicalHBABABY/HAVE A BABY if an animal such as a dog or cat litters, it gives birth to babies 〔狗、猫等动物〕产仔→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
litter• The sign says, "Please do not litter."• Shreds of plastic, old iron, glass, animal bones littered both sides of the path.• Dirty plates littered the kitchen.• Although telephone lines to the city remain severed, a Sarajevo radio reporter said corpses littered the pavement next to the town hall.• Although the pet database is littered with a cat entry here and there, cat registration is not required in San Francisco.• The breeze fanning in off the ocean was dense with brine and the beach was littered with debris.• The yard in front of the cottage was littered with discarded buckets, an old bath, a mangle and a pile of driftwood.• Stirling himself took over his brother's flat again where the floor would be littered with maps and bits of equipment.Origin litter1 (1300-1400) Old French litiere, from lit “bed”lit·ter1 noun →5 GRAMMAR1 →n GRAMMAR2litter2 verbLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
cans have paper, Corpus etc people that waste
litter
lit‧ter1 /ˈlɪtə $ -ər/ 
noun
SYN rubbish, trash, garbage:
People who drop litter can be fined in some cities.
a town with a litter problem
GRAMMAR
Litter is an uncountable noun and has no plural form. Use a singular verb after it:
▪Litter spoils the countryside.
2. BABY ANIMALS [countable] a group of baby animals that a mother gives birth to at the same time
litter of
a litter of kittens
3. FOR CAT’S TOILET [uncountable] small grains of a dry substance that is put in a container that a cat uses as a toilet indoors:
cat litter
a litter tray
4. FOREST [uncountable] (also leaf litter) dead leaves and other decaying plants on the ground in a forest
5. a litter of something literary a group of things that look very untidy:
A litter of notes, papers, and textbooks were strewn on the desk.
6. FOR ANIMAL’S BED [uncountable] a substance such as straw that a farm animal sleeps on
7. BED [countable] a chair or bed for carrying important people, used in past times
litter2 verb
1. [transitive] (also litter up) if things litter an area, there are a lot of them in that place, scattered in an untidy way:
Clothes littered the floor.
litter something with something
The desk was littered with papers.
2. be littered with something if something is littered with things, there are a lot of those things in it
SYN be full of something:
Recent business news has been littered with stories of companies failing.
3. [intransitive and transitive] to leave waste paper, cans etc on the ground in a public place
4. [intransitive] technical if an animal such as a dog or cat litters, it gives birth to babies
| I |
noun Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: litiere, from lit 'bed'
1. WASTE [uncountable] waste paper, cans etc that people have thrown away and left on the ground in a public place Language: Old French
Origin: litiere, from lit 'bed'
SYN rubbish, trash, garbage:
GRAMMAR
Litter is an uncountable noun and has no plural form. Use a singular verb after it:
▪
2. BABY ANIMALS [countable] a group of baby animals that a mother gives birth to at the same time
litter of
3. FOR CAT’S TOILET [uncountable] small grains of a dry substance that is put in a container that a cat uses as a toilet indoors:
4. FOREST [uncountable] (also leaf litter) dead leaves and other decaying plants on the ground in a forest
5. a litter of something literary a group of things that look very untidy:
6. FOR ANIMAL’S BED [uncountable] a substance such as straw that a farm animal sleeps on
7. BED [countable] a chair or bed for carrying important people, used in past times
| II |
verb1. [transitive] (also litter up) if things litter an area, there are a lot of them in that place, scattered in an untidy way:
litter something with something
2. be littered with something if something is littered with things, there are a lot of those things in it
SYN be full of something:
3. [intransitive and transitive] to leave waste paper, cans etc on the ground in a public place
4. [intransitive] technical if an animal such as a dog or cat litters, it gives birth to babies