Mothball (original) (raw)

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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