Dictionary
1mothball
noun moth·ball \ˈmȯth-ˌbȯl\
: a small ball that contains a strong-smelling chemical and that is used to keep moths away from stored clothing
Full Definition of MOTHBALL
1
: a ball made formerly of camphor but now often of naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene and used to keep moths from clothing
2
plural : a condition of protective storage <put the ships in mothballs after the war>; also : a state of having been rejected for further use or dismissed from further consideration
See mothball defined for English-language learners
See mothball defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
First Known Use of MOTHBALL
1892
Rhymes with MOTHBALL
ALGOL, and all, Antall, appall, Argall, argol, air ball, ashfall, at all, atoll, AWOL, baseball, beach ball, beanball, befall, Bengal, best-ball, birdcall, blackball, Bokmål, bookstall, box stall, bradawl, brick wall, broomball, catcall, catchall, cell wall, COBOL, cold call, cornball, Cornwall, crown gall, cue ball, cure-all, curveball, deadfall, de Gaulle, dodgeball, downfall, downhaul, drywall, duck call, eight ball, enthrall, eyeball, fair ball, fastball, fireball, fire wall, foosball, football, footfall, footwall, forestall, forkball, foul ball, four-ball, fourth wall, free-fall, gadwall, game ball, glycol, golf ball, Goodall, goofball, googol, guildhall, hair ball, handball, hardball, headstall, heelball, highball, holdall, house call, icefall, infall, install, John Paul, jump ball, keelhaul, know-all, landfall, Landsmål, line-haul, line squall, lowball, Maillol, meatball, menthol, mess hall, miscall, Naipaul, naphthol, Nepal, nightfall, nutgall, oddball, outfall, outhaul, paintball, pinball, pitfall, plimsoll, pratfall, prayer shawl, pub crawl, puffball, punchball, pushball, rainfall, rainsquall, recall, rial, Riksmål, rockfall, roll call, rorqual, Saint Paul, save-all, screwball, seawall, short-haul, shortfall, sick call, sidewall, sleazeball, slimeball, snowball, snowfall, softball, sour ball, speedball, spitball, stickball, stonewall, stone wall, stoopball, strip mall, T-ball, tea ball, tell-all, three-ball, toll call, town hall, trackball, Tyrol, Udall, Walsall, what all, whip stall, Whitehall, whitewall, windfall, windgall, withal, you-all
2mothball
verb
: to stop using (something) while keeping it to be possibly used in the future
Full Definition of MOTHBALL
transitive verb
1
: to deactivate (as a ship) and prevent deterioration chiefly by dehumidification
2
: to withdraw from use or service and keep in reserve : put aside
See mothball defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of MOTHBALL
1926
Learn More About MOTHBALL
Browse
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up mothball? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).