- Litter
- Litter Lit"ter (l[i^]t"t[~e]r), n. [F. liti[`e]re, LL.
lectaria, fr. L. lectus couch, bed. See {Lie} to be
prostrated, and cf. {Coverlet}.]
1. A bed or stretcher so arranged that a person, esp. a sick
or wounded person, may be easily carried in or upon it.
[1913 Webster]
There is a litter ready; lay him in 't. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
2. Straw, hay, etc., scattered on a floor, as bedding for animals to rest on; also, a covering of straw for plants. [1913 Webster]
To crouch in litter of your stable planks. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Take off the litter from your kernel beds. --Evelyn. [1913 Webster]
3. Things lying scattered about in a manner indicating slovenliness; scattered rubbish. [1913 Webster]
Strephon, who found the room was void. Stole in, and took a strict survey Of all the litter as it lay. --Swift. [1913 Webster]
4. Disorder or untidiness resulting from scattered rubbish, or from thongs lying about uncared for; as, a room in a state of litter. [1913 Webster]
5. The young brought forth at one time, by a cat, dog, sow or other multiparous animal, taken collectively. Also Fig. [1913 Webster]
A wolf came to a sow, and very kindly offered to take care of her litter. --D. Estrange. [1913 Webster]
Reflect upon that numerous litter of strange, senseless opinions that crawl about the world. --South. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
