Idioms for waste

    go to waste, to fail to be used or consumed; be wasted: She hates to see good food go to waste.
    lay waste, to devastate; destroy; ruin: Forest fires lay waste thousands of acres yearly.

Origin of waste

1150–1200; 1960–65 for def 6; (adj.) Middle English < Old North French wast (Old French g(u)ast) < Latin vāstus desolate; (v.) Middle English < Old North French waster (Old French g(u)aster) < Latin vāstāre, derivative of vāstus; (noun) Middle English < Old North French wast(e) (Old French g(u)aste), partly < Latin vāstum, noun use of neuter of vāstus, partly derivative of waster; Old North French w-, Old French gu- by influence of cognate with Frankish *wōsti desolate (cognate with Old High German wuosti)

synonym study for waste

19. See desert1. 36. See ravage.

OTHER WORDS FROM waste

wast·a·ble, adjective waste·less, adjective out·waste, verb (used with object), out·wast·ed, out·wast·ing. un·wast·a·ble, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH waste

waist waste

British Dictionary definitions for go to waste

waste
/ (weɪst) /

verb

noun

adjective

Derived forms of waste

wastable, adjective

Word Origin for waste

C13: from Anglo-French waster, from Latin vastāre to lay waste, from vastus empty

Medical definitions for go to waste

waste
[ wāst ]

v.

To gradually lose energy, strength, or bodily substance, as from disease.

n.

The undigested residue of food eliminated from the body; excrement.

Scientific definitions for go to waste

waste
[ wāst ]

Noun

An unusable or unwanted substance or material, such as a waste product. See also hazardous waste landfill.

Verb

To lose or cause to lose energy, strength, weight, or vigor, as by the progressive effects of a disease such as metastatic cancer.

Idioms and Phrases with go to waste (1 of 2)

go to waste

Fail to be used or taken advantage of. For example, I hate to see such talent go to waste, or We bought so much food that some will be going to waste. [c. 1500]

Idioms and Phrases with go to waste (2 of 2)

waste