Definition of "litter"

litter

/ˈlɪtə(ɹ)/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural litters
1. (countable) A platform mounted on two shafts, or a more elaborate construction, designed to be carried by two (or more) people to transport one (in luxury models sometimes more) third person(s) or (occasionally in the elaborate version) a cargo, such as a religious idol.
  Quotations
  There is a litter ready; lay him in 't.
  c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene vi]
  When they went out, they sat in litters, which were curtained.
  1922, Maneckji Nusservanji Dhalla, Zoroastrian Civilization‎, page 219
  "The Chengtu revolutionaries were fantastically colourful in the Szechwanese manner—they costumed themselves as heroes of the stage and their energies were chiefly occupied in tying ropes across the main streets so that when Imperial officials rode by in their litters they would have to get down and crawl under, losing face.
  1942 March, “Notes and News: Monument to a Stillborn Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 88
2. (collective, countable) The offspring of a mammal born in one birth.
  Quotations
  A Wolf came to a Sow, and very Kindly Offer'd to take care of her Litter.
  1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […]
3. (uncountable) Material used as bedding for animals.
4. (uncountable) Collectively, items discarded on the ground.
  Quotations
  Strephon [...] Stole in, and took a strict survey Of all the litter as it lay.
  1730, Jonathan Swift, The Lady's Dressing Room
  The British people seem incapable of avoiding the habit of leaving litter wherever they go, and the railways certainly seem to receive their fair share of it, in carriages and on stations.
  1962 October, Brian Haresnape, “Focus on B.R. passenger stations”, in Modern Railways, page 254
5. (uncountable) Absorbent material used in an animal's litter tray
6. (uncountable) Layer of fallen leaves and similar organic matter in a forest floor.
7. A covering of straw for plants.
  Quotations
  Let new planted Elms be kept moist by frequent refreſhings upon ſome half-rotten Fern, or Litter laid about the foot of the ſtem; [...]
  1664, J[ohn] E[velyn], “. Chapter IV. Of the Elm.”, in Sylva, or A Discourse of Forest-trees and the Propagation of Timber in His Majesties Dominions. […], London: […] Jo[hn] Martyn, and Ja[mes] Allestry, printers to the Royal Society, […], page 19
verb
third-person singular simple present litters, present participle littering, simple past and past participle littered
1. (intransitive) To drop or throw trash without properly disposing of it (as discarding in public areas rather than trash receptacles).
2. (transitive) To scatter carelessly about.
3. (transitive) To strew (a place) with scattered articles.
  Quotations
  Their Clamour, 'lighting from their Chairs, / Grew lowder, all the way up Stairs; / At Entrance louder, where they found, / The Room with Volumes litter'd round; [...]
  1726, [Jonathan Swift], Cadenus and Vanessa. A Poem, London: […] J. Roberts […], page 18
4. (transitive) To give birth to, in the manner of animals.
  Quotations
  We might conceive that dogs were created blind, because we observe they were littered so with us.
  1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […]
  The son that she did litter here, / A freckled whelp hagborn.
  1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene ii]
5. (intransitive) To produce a litter of young.
  Quotations
  A desert […] where the she-wolf still littered.
  1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 12, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volumes (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans
6. (transitive) To supply (cattle etc.) with litter; to cover with litter, as the floor of a stall.
  Quotations
  Tell them how they litter their jades.
  1693, John Hacket, Scrinia reserata: a Memorial offered to the great Deservings of John Williams
  For his ease, well litter'd was the floor.
  1700, [John] Dryden, Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
7. (intransitive) To be supplied with litter as bedding; to sleep or make one's bed in litter.
  Quotations
  The inn where he and his horse litter'd.
  1634, William Habington, Castara

Definition of "litter"

litter

noun

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