waste
To use or expend resources such as time, money, or energy carelessly, extravagantly, or for no useful purpose. It implies that a valuable resource has been lost or used ineffectively when it could have been saved or used better.
Exemples
3 sur 5I wasted the whole afternoon browsing social media instead of finishing my report.
I spent the entire afternoon on social media uselessly rather than completing my work.
The audit revealed that the organization had wasted significant capital on redundant software licenses.
The review showed that the company lost a lot of money on unnecessary software permissions.
Don't waste your breath trying to explain it to him; he never listens.
Do not bother talking because it is a useless effort since he does not pay attention.
Famille de mots
Astuce mémo
Think of the 'E' at the end of WASTE standing for 'Empty'—when you waste something, you end up with nothing left for your effort.
Quiz rapide
If you buy that expensive car and never drive it, you will simply ____ your money.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : waste
Exemples
I wasted the whole afternoon browsing social media instead of finishing my report.
everydayI spent the entire afternoon on social media uselessly rather than completing my work.
The audit revealed that the organization had wasted significant capital on redundant software licenses.
formalThe review showed that the company lost a lot of money on unnecessary software permissions.
Don't waste your breath trying to explain it to him; he never listens.
informalDo not bother talking because it is a useless effort since he does not pay attention.
Scholars argue that failing to cite previous research can waste valuable time in the scientific process.
academicAcademic experts say not referencing earlier work results in a loss of time for scientific progress.
We must optimize our supply chain so we do not waste resources during the manufacturing phase.
businessWe need to improve our logistics to avoid losing materials during production.
Famille de mots
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
waste not, want not
if you use things wisely, you will not be in need later
go to waste
to be discarded without being used
a waste of space
something or someone that is completely useless
Souvent confondu avec
Waist refers to the part of the body between the ribs and hips, whereas waste refers to useless consumption.
Spend is neutral and just means to use money/time; waste is negative and means to use it badly.
Notes d'usage
The verb is frequently followed by a gerund (verb + -ing) or the preposition 'on'. For example: 'waste time watching TV' or 'waste money on clothes'.
Erreurs courantes
Learners often use 'waste' for neutral situations where 'spend' is more appropriate. Also, avoid saying 'make waste'; the verb itself is 'to waste'.
Astuce mémo
Think of the 'E' at the end of WASTE standing for 'Empty'—when you waste something, you end up with nothing left for your effort.
Origine du mot
Derived from the Old French 'gaster', meaning to spoil or ruin, which comes from the Latin 'vastus', meaning empty or desolate.
Modèles grammaticaux
Contexte culturel
In many industrialized cultures, there is a strong social stigma against 'wasting time' due to the cultural emphasis on productivity and 'time is money'.
Quiz rapide
If you buy that expensive car and never drive it, you will simply ____ your money.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : waste
Vocabulaire associé
Mots lis
to
A1Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.
and
A1A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.
a
A1A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.
that
A1This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.
I
A1The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.
for
A1Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.
not
A1A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.
with
A1A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.
he
A1A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
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