| / English Dictionary |
MOTHBALL
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A small sphere of camphor or naphthalene used to keep moths away from stored clothing
Synonyms:
camphor ball; mothball
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("mothball" is a kind of...):
ball; globe; orb (an object with a spherical shape)
Meronyms (substance of "mothball"):
camphor (a resin obtained from the camphor tree; used in making celluloid and liniment)
naphthalene (a white crystalline strong-smelling hydrocarbon made from coal tar or petroleum and used in organic synthesis and as a fumigant in mothballs)
Derivation:
mothball (put into long-term storage)
II. (verb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Put into long-term storage
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Hypernyms (to "mothball" is one way to...):
store (find a place for and put away for storage)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sentence example:
They mothball the cape
Derivation:
mothball (a small sphere of camphor or naphthalene used to keep moths away from stored clothing)
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