waste
(=unnecessary use)
[+money] gaspillage m
→ It was just a waste of government money
[+substance] perte f
[+time] perte f
It's a waste of money. C'est un gaspillage d'argent.
→ I think that is a total waste of money.
It's a waste of time. C'est une perte de temps.
it's a waste of time doing sth c'est une perte de temps que de faire qch
→ I thought it was a waste of time moaning about it
→ It's a waste of time going to the doctor with most mild complaints.
it's such a waste! c'est vraiment du gaspillage!
what a waste! quel gaspillage!
→ The rocket exploded 15 seconds after takeoff. What a waste!
→ You mean you threw away all those vegetables? What a waste!
to go to waste être gaspillé (e)
→ Mexican cookery is economical, she says. Nothing goes to waste.
to reduce waste réduire le gaspillage
(=unwanted material) déchets mpl
household waste déchets ménagers
nuclear waste déchets nucléaires
industrial waste déchets industriels
→ The river was thick with industrial waste.
to lay sth waste, to lay waste to sth dévaster qch
→ The war has laid waste large regions of the countryside.
→ cities laid waste by the decline of traditional industries
→ The aphid is now laying waste to the wheat and barley fields.
[energy, heat] des déchets
a waste energy site une installation de coïncinération
→
waste materials
[land, ground] (in city)
à l'abandon , (in country)
en friche
(=use too much of)
[+money, water, fuel] gaspiller
→ I resolved not to waste money on a hotel.
→ The system wastes a large amount of water.
I don't like wasting money. Je n'aime pas gaspiller l'argent.
(=not use properly)
[+time] perdre
[+opportunity] gâcher
→ You've been given a great opportunity; don't waste it.
There's no time to waste. Il n'y a pas de temps à perdre.
to waste time doing sth perdre du temps à faire qch
→ I didn't want to waste time looking at old cars.
to waste a good scoring chance vendanger une belle occasion de but
you're wasting your time vous perdez votre temps
→ You're wasting your time asking him.
→ If you think she's going to help you, you're wasting your time.
wastes
npl
(=barren areas) mornes fpl étendues → the polar wastes → the barren wastes of the Sahara
hazardous waste
n déchets mpl dangereux
→ The residues from industrial shredders are contaminated by operating fluids, many of which are classified as hazardous waste.
→ There are now specific standards that stipulate which hazardous wastes can and cannot be placed in secured landfills without further processing.
nuclear waste
n déchets mpl nucléaires
toxic waste
n déchets mpl toxiques
▲
waste away
vi dépérir
waste disposal
n (British) traitement m des déchets
→ methods of waste disposal
waste disposal unit , waste disposal, waste disposer (British)
n broyeur m à ordures
waste ground
n terrain m vague
→ Houses could be built on waste ground.
a piece of waste ground un terrain vague
waste materials
npl déchets mpl
waste materials from the oil industry les déchets de l'industrie pétrolière
waste pipe
n (tuyau m de) vidange f
waste products
npl