2waste verb
wastes; wast·ed; wast·ing [+ obj] 1 : to use (something valuable) in a way that is not necessary or effective : to use more of (something) than is necessary
▪ Don't waste water during the summer drought. ▪ He always wasted his money on useless gadgets. ▪ Turn off the lights so we don't waste electricity. ▪ I think he's just wasting my time. ▪ We can't afford to waste so much food. 2 : to use (something or someone) in a way that does not produce a valuable result or effect : to fail to use (something or someone) in an appropriate or effective way
▪ We can't afford to waste this opportunity. ▪ She's a good writer but she's wasting her talent. [=she's not using her talent to do the things that she should be doing] — often used as (be) wasted ▪ My efforts were wasted. ▪ He was wasted in that job. [=his talents/skills were not being used in the job] 3 slang : to kill or murder (someone)
▪ Someone wasted him.
▪ Don't waste water during the summer drought. ▪ He always wasted his money on useless gadgets. ▪ Turn off the lights so we don't waste electricity. ▪ I think he's just wasting my time. ▪ We can't afford to waste so much food.
▪ We can't afford to waste this opportunity. ▪ She's a good writer but she's wasting her talent. [=she's not using her talent to do the things that she should be doing] — often used as (be) wasted ▪ My efforts were wasted. ▪ He was wasted in that job. [=his talents/skills were not being used in the job]
▪ Someone wasted him.
waste away [phrasal verb]
: to become thinner and weaker because of illness or lack of food
▪ The disease caused her to waste away.
▪ The disease caused her to waste away.
waste no time
: to do something quickly
▪ We wasted no time getting our tickets. [=we hurried to get our tickets]
▪ We wasted no time getting our tickets. [=we hurried to get our tickets]
waste not, want not
— used to say that if you never waste things you will always have what you need
waste your breath — see breath
